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NORTHWEST TERRITORIES LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

6th Session Day 5 16th Assembly

HANSARD

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Pages 6511 - 6546

The Honourable Paul Delorey, Speaker

Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories

Members of the Legislative Assembly

SpeakerHon. Paul Delorey

(Hay River North)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mr. Glen Abernethy(Great Slave)

Mr. Tom Beaulieu(Tu Nedhe)

Ms. Wendy Bisaro(Frame Lake)

Mr. Bob Bromley(Weledeh)

Mrs. Jane Groenewegen(Hay River South)

Mr. Robert Hawkins(Yellowknife Centre)

Mr. Jackie Jacobson(Nunakput)

Mr. David Krutko(Mackenzie Delta)

Hon. Jackson Lafferty(Monfwi)Minister of JusticeMinister of Education, Culture and Employment

Hon. Bob McLeod(Yellowknife South)Minister of Human ResourcesMinister of Industry, Tourism and InvestmentMinister responsible for the Public Utilities BoardMinister responsible for Energy Initiatives

Hon. Michael McLeod(Deh Cho)Minister of TransportationMinister of Public Works and Services

Hon. Robert C. McLeod(Inuvik Twin Lakes)Minister of Municipal and Community AffairsMinister responsible for the NWT Housing CorporationMinister responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation CommissionMinister responsible for Youth

Mr. Kevin Menicoche(Nahendeh)

Hon. Michael Miltenberger(Thebacha)Deputy PremierGovernment House LeaderMinister of FinanceMinister of Health and Social ServicesMinister of Environment and Natural ResourcesMinister responsible for Persons with DisabilitiesMinister responsible for Seniors

Mr. Dave Ramsay(Kam Lake)

Hon. Floyd Roland(Inuvik Boot Lake)PremierMinister of ExecutiveMinister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental RelationsMinister responsible for the NWT Power CorporationMinister responsible for the Status of Women

Mr. Norman Yakeleya(Sahtu)

Vacant(Range Lake)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

OfficersClerk of the Legislative Assembly

Mr. Tim Mercer

Deputy Clerk Principal Clerk Principal Clerk, Law Clerks of Committees Operations

Mr. Doug Schauerte Ms. Jennifer Knowlan Ms. Gail Bennett Ms. Sheila MacPhersonMs. Malinda Kellett

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Box 1320Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

Tel: (867) 669-2200 Fax: (867) 920-4735 Toll-Free: 1-800-661-0784http://www.assembly.gov.nt.ca

Published under the authority of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PRAYER............................................................................................................................................................ 6511

MINISTERS' STATEMENTS..............................................................................................................................6512

7-16(6) – Fiscal and Economic Update (Miltenberger)...............................................................................6512

8-16(6) – New Partnership Approach to Policing (Lafferty).........................................................................6513

9-16(6) – Update on Mackenzie Gas Project (B. McLeod).........................................................................6514

10-16(6) – Premier Absent from the House (Miltenberger).........................................................................6514

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS...............................................................................................................................6515

Potential Shutdown of Imperial Oil Operations in Norman Wells (Yakeleya)..............................................6515

Impacts of Federal Election Results (Groenewegen)..................................................................................6515

Discriminatory Practices Experienced by Housing Clients (Krutko)............................................................6516

Issues Identified at Frame Lake Constituency Meeting (Bisaro).................................................................6516

Tribute to Recently Passed Tu Nedhe Elders (Beaulieu)............................................................................6517

Discontinuation of Medevac Services at Edmonton City Centre Airport (Ramsay).....................................6517

Independent Review of Leishman Incident at Stanton Territorial Hospital (Abernethy)..............................6517

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Tribute to Recently Passed Nunakput Elders (Jacobson)...........................................................................6518

Federal Resources for NWT Highway Infrastructure Projects (Menicoche)................................................6518

Coalition Against Family Violence (Bromley)..............................................................................................6519

Discontinuation of Medevac Services to Edmonton City Centre Airport (Hawkins)....................................6519

RECOGNITION OF VISITORS IN THE GALLERY...........................................................................................6520

ORAL QUESTIONS...........................................................................................................................................6520

RETURNS TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS............................................................................................................6531

PETITIONS........................................................................................................................................................ 6533

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES ON THE REVIEW OF BILLS............................................................................6533

TABLING OF DOCUMENTS.............................................................................................................................6533

NOTICES OF MOTION......................................................................................................................................6535

4-16(6) – Revocation of Appointment to the Executive Council (Bisaro)....................................................6535

NOTICES OF MOTION FOR FIRST READING OF BILLS...............................................................................6535

Bill 11 – An Act to Amend the Public Service Act.......................................................................................6535

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CONSIDERATION IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE OF BILLS AND OTHER MATTERS...........................6535

REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE...................................................................................................6545

ORDERS OF THE DAY.....................................................................................................................................6546

May 11, 2011 NORTHWEST TERRITORIES HANSARD Page 6511

YELLOWKNIFE, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Members Present

Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Beaulieu, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Bromley, Hon. Paul Delorey, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Jacobson, Mr. Krutko, Hon. Jackson Lafferty, Hon. Bob McLeod, Hon. Michael McLeod, Hon. Robert McLeod, Mr. Menicoche, Hon. Michael Miltenberger, Mr. Ramsay, Mr. Yakeleya

The House met at 1:34 p.m.

Prayer

---PrayerSpeaker’s Opening CommentsSPEAKER (Hon. Paul Delorey): Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber, colleagues, as we resume the sixth and next to last sitting of the 16th Legislative Assembly.---ApplauseAlthough this is a short sitting, I know there is a great deal of work that must be done before we adjourn next week and that you are eager to begin. However, I would like to take a few moments to acknowledge some special events in our Legislature since we last met. I would like to comment on the recall notice which was originally issued on March 30, 2011, to reconvene the Sixth Session of the 16th Legislative Assembly in early April 2011. I recalled the House, acting on the advice of Cabinet and Regular Members, who had indicated that a Territorial Leadership Committee meeting should be scheduled to fill the seat vacated when the Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee, resigned on March 26, 2011.Formal recall of the House would have been necessary to ratify any decision of the Territorial Leadership Committee. At a meeting of full Caucus which took place on April 7, 2011, a decision was made by all Members not to fill the vacant position at this late date in the life of this Assembly. Accordingly, there was no need for the House to meet and I directed that the recall of the House for April 11, 2011, be rescinded. Colleagues, I had the particular pleasure and pleasant duty last week when I hosted the 11 th

Youth Parliament of the Northwest Territories. Nineteen high school students from each electoral district in the NWT participated and received a firsthand look at the workings of our unique system of government. I applaud all 19 members of this year’s Youth Parliament for a job very well done. Those of you who were fortunate enough to be able to join me in the gallery last Thursday, or on the floor of the House for those two Members who

served as Pages, will, I am sure, agree with me that the future of the Northwest Territories appears to be in very good hands. The level of debate, the commitment shown by these young people, and the respect the youth parliamentarians demonstrated for each other and the Assembly was impressive and admirable.Our young leaders debated and voted on five motions and a bill, sitting through to 6:00 p.m., thereby setting a record for the longest sitting of our Youth Parliament. They tackled subjects as diverse and complex as: improving the quality of secondary schooling

education; promotion of sexual health among youth; substance abuse programming for youth; increased investment in youth programs; zero tolerance for bullying; and making the improper disposal of recyclable

materials a punishable offence.It is also worth noting that this is the first Youth Parliament without a member that smoked. Please join me in congratulating our youth parliamentarians on a job very well done.---ApplauseI would also like to take on this opportunity to pass on the condolences of this House to the families and communities who have lost loved ones since we last met. Please accept our sincere sympathy.Now, colleagues, to the business before us. I look forward to a very productive session and remind you all of the standards that you have set to guide your deliberations within this House. It is now my duty to advise the House that I have received the following message from the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories and it reads:

Dear Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories the passage of: Supplementary Appropriation Act

(Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 6, 2010-2011;

Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012; and

Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012

during the Sixth Session of the 16th Legislative Assembly. Yours truly, George Tuccaro, Commissioner.

Thank you, colleagues. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Finance, the honourable Michael Miltenberger.

Ministers’ Statements

MINISTER’S STATEMENT 7-16(6):FISCAL AND ECONOMIC UPDATE

HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to update Members and NWT residents on our territory’s economic and fiscal outlook. April 1, 2011, marked the start of a new fiscal year. The measures included in our 2011-2012 budget are now being implemented, including over $1.3 billion in operating expenditures and more than $155 million in planned capital investments. These expenditures will be used to deliver needed public services and infrastructure to NWT residents and will continue to support our economy.There is good news to report on the economy. In April the NWT employment rate rose to its highest level since 2008. Two thousand additional persons were employed in the NWT last month compared with one year ago. Preliminary estimates of 2010 Gross Domestic Product released earlier today indicate that the NWT economy grew by 5.8 percent last year, reflecting a recovery from the recession that began in late 2008. Our territory’s largest industry, diamond mining, increased by 6.3 percent as production levels increased in 2010 in response to rising diamond prices. Record levels of government stimulus spending, along with a rise in private sector investment, helped the construction industry grow by over 25 percent in 2010. Finally, earlier this week BHP Billiton announced plans to invest, together with its partners, $323 million in its Ekati Diamond Mine over the next few years. As a territory we have managed our way through the most serious economic downturn since the Great Depression. Two years ago we faced unprecedented economic turmoil that caused everyone, businesses, governments, and individuals, to review their assumptions and re-evaluate their plans. The NWT economy shrank almost 20 percent over 2008 and 2009 as financial markets tumbled and commodity prices fell. NWT businesses and industry made difficult decisions to ensure they remained viable over the longer term. It

is reassuring, therefore, to see that the NWT economy has started to grow again and begun to recover lost ground.The GNWT was no different in needing to adjust our fiscal plans over the last few years to reflect changing economic conditions. Like all governments in Canada, during the downturn we made a conscious decision to support the economy by maintaining spending levels, deferring tax changes, and investing aggressively in infrastructure. Like all governments, as the economy strengthens and the private sector re-emerges, we now need to return to fiscal policies that are more sustainable over the long term.Since I presented the budget last February, political unrest in some areas of the world and natural disasters in others have brought more uncertainty to the global economic recovery. Recent dramatic fluctuations in commodity prices remind us that we are not out of the economic woods yet. This makes continued vigilance and sticking to a well thought out fiscal strategy even more critical.The fiscal strategy we have adopted has served the GNWT and NWT residents well: We have maintained tight control on our

operating costs. Our budget process has been more controlled, planned, and accountable. Annual operating spending, net of compensation and benefits, has grown at an average annual rate of only 2.8 percent over the life of this Assembly. We have set a cap of 3 percent on future spending growth and are committed to staying under that cap.

We have maintained a competitive tax regime for NWT individuals and businesses, and not introduced any major tax increases.

We have implemented changes to our government’s capital planning process to improve the planning, acquisition and delivery of infrastructure. Capital projects established through this new process are being delivered within budget.

We responded to the economic slowdown by aggressively increasing our expenditures on infrastructure. Including the 2011-2012 capital budget now being implemented, we have put in place a record three-year $1.1 billion capital program for roads, bridges, schools, health centres, houses, and other critical projects across the NWT.

This major investment in capital has not only helped to stabilize the territorial economy, it will also leave a legacy of badly needed public infrastructure. In doing this, we have been able to leverage an unprecedented amount of federal economic stimulus investment. However, once we complete the projects included in our current infrastructure

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investment plan, capital investment will return to its historical level of $75 million per year, starting in 2012-2013.

Our fiscal strategy has allowed us to manage through the uncertainties and unexpected events of the last few years. By sticking to our strategy, we have preserved a fiscal cushion of about $42 million at the end of this fiscal year against unexpected events like a bad fire season. The reality is that we will need to manage our way through more challenges ahead that will continue to squeeze that fiscal cushion. The demands for government to introduce or

expand programs are unrelenting, but our revenues cannot hope to keep pace with those demands. We need to maintain discipline on our spending growth.

Despite the record level of investment in the last two years, the need for public infrastructure -- in hospitals and health centres, in roads, and in housing -- is huge. Our capital resources are clearly insufficient. We need to find ways to finance these critical investments by finding partners in the private sector and by engaging Canada on the vast opportunities our territory holds.

The federal government is facing fiscal pressures of its own and we need to ensure that NWT interests are advanced and protected, whether the issue is the borrowing limit, territorial formula financing, funding for health care, federal program spending, or infrastructure investment. Now that the federal election is over, we need to work to get our priorities front and centre with Canada. An immediate fiscal priority will be getting certainty about our borrowing limit. As a government, we have continued to provide quality programs and services to the residents of the NWT while making room for investments and policy changes in key areas that will benefit the NWT for years to come. We have made some tough fiscal choices over the past four years to allow us to make these investments. We know there will be more difficult decisions ahead. The Members of the 17th Legislative Assembly elected this October will face those difficult decisions. As part of our transition planning, we are working to frame up many of the choices and options that will be open to them. In the budget address I noted that as fiscal resources become more constrained, we all need to be clear more than ever on what our priorities are. NWT residents and businesses must be prepared to engage in a meaningful and frank debate on priorities, and balance that with their expectations of what the government can and should be doing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.

MINISTER’S STATEMENT 8-16(6):NEW PARTNERSHIP APPROACH TO POLICING

HON. JACKSON LAFFERTY: Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to update the House on the Department of Justice’s work to improve policing services across the territory. As we all know, encouraging, nurturing and building partnerships is the foundation on which the Northwest Territories was built. Throughout the life of the 16th Legislative Assembly, the Department of Justice has been working on a new model for policing in the North. This model, the Partnership Approach, acknowledges our uniqueness, builds on our strengths, and fosters stronger relationships with our communities. Effective planning for police services must recognize the challenges and issues in each of our communities and capitalize on local strengths. Community policing must be developed in a way that builds trust, collaboration, and local capacity. This will naturally lead to more involvement in policing by community leaders, which will assist in crime prevention and reduction. Yesterday the Department of Justice and the RCMP presented the details of this new partnership approach to the Standing Committee on Social Programs. The presentation outlined the collaborative work that is underway between the RCMP and the communities. This work is resulting in communities setting priorities with the RCMP to support community safety. This is how we are taking action to ensure police services are responsive to the needs of each individual community. As an example of the success of the partnership approach, I had the honour of attending the graduation of Steven Beck of Hay River, who completed the Aboriginal Community Constable Program at the RCMP Depot in Regina last month.---ApplauseMr. Speaker, Special Constable Beck has joined the RCMP detachment in his home community. His performance at Depot was superior. Constable Beck excelled academically in applied police sciences and teamwork, and he has attained the coveted title of expert marksman. His role with the Hay River RCMP is based on the partnership approach. He has been assigned to engage with community members and leaders, and acts as the RCMP liaison for young people. Constable Beck’s passion for community policing has turned his dream of becoming a Mountie into a reality. I am proud of his accomplishments and look forward to his valuable contributions to community policing in the Northwest Territories.

As the 16th Legislative Assembly comes to an end, I am confident that our new Partnership Approach to policing will continue to further our goals of supporting communities to be sustainable, vibrant and safe. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

MINISTER’S STATEMENT 9-16(6):UPDATE ON MACKENZIE GAS PROJECT

HON. BOB MCLEOD: Mr. Speaker, in 2007 the newly elected 16th Legislative Assembly identified a vision of “Strong individuals, families and communities sharing the benefits and responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous Northwest Territories.” Today I would like to provide an update on a critical project that supports this goal: the Mackenzie Gas Project. This basin opening project and nation building endeavour will be a key economic driver for our future. Constructed and operated in an environmentally and socially responsible way, the pipeline will provide a secure supply of natural gas to southern markets. Construction and operations of the project will require over 208,000 person years of employment. It is estimated that the Mackenzie Gas Project could contribute $68 billion to the Northwest Territories economy and over $86 billion to the Canadian economy. But the benefits of the project are not only economic. One of the greatest benefits of the project will be the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The Mackenzie Gas Project will significantly contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in North America. The impacts of global warming are being felt all over the world, and especially in Canada’s North. The delivery of natural gas to the North American market will mean displacement of dirtier, coal-powered electricity generation. Natural gas will be the transition fuel to a lower-carbon economy. Mr. Speaker, in March of this year the federal government granted its approval for the National Energy Board’s Reasons of Decision. As a result, the board issued the Mackenzie Gas Project a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. Now the project proponents have the necessary authorization to start building the pipeline. The board stipulated that the project proponents must report on their decision to construct by December 2013, and that construction on the Mackenzie Gas Project must begin no later than 2015. We welcome the opportunity to work with the newly elected federal government to address the items necessary to see this project become a reality.

One of these items is ensuring a fiscal framework agreement is in place between the proponents and the federal government. This is the one element which the proponents have underlined as being absolutely essential in their decision-making process. Mr. Speaker, last month, while on a campaign visit in Yellowknife, Prime Minister Stephen Harper reiterated his Cabinet’s commitment to support the Mackenzie Gas Project. He stated that the federal government would make a package available to deal with infrastructure issues and other challenges that arise with the Mackenzie Gas Project. The Government of the Northwest Territories would also like to see the newly formed Conservative government follow up on previous commitments regarding the $500 million Mackenzie Gas Project Impact Fund. This fund is aimed at mitigating socio-economic impacts on all northern residents along the pipeline route. Since these resources are to be delivered to a territorial Crown corporation, we are urging the federal government to establish the fund as soon as possible. Plans must be finalized with the organizations responsible for administrating the fund at the regional levels. Last but not least, we would like the federal government to renew its financial support for the Aboriginal Pipeline Group. The Aboriginal Pipeline Group has set the bar for a new model of Aboriginal participation in the economy through its shared ownership in the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline. The Government of the Northwest Territories has provided continuous support for the Aboriginal Pipeline Group since its inception. The Aboriginal Pipeline Group will play a major long-term role in enabling a higher level of economic independence and self-reliance for the communities of the Mackenzie Valley. We will continue to engage with the federal government on these items and others to move this important project forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Deputy Premier, Mr. Miltenberger.

MINISTER’S STATEMENT 10-16(6):PREMIER ABSENT FROM THE HOUSE

HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Floyd Roland will be absent from the House for the remainder of the week to attend the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Nuuk, Greenland.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

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Members’ Statements

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ONPOTENTIAL SHUTDOWN OF IMPERIAL OIL

OPERATIONS IN NORMAN WELLSMR. YAKELEYA: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to wish all the mother’s a belated happy Mother’s Day. I heard on the radio about the Norman Wells issue and I want to talk about it. So I wrote about it and what I wrote is saying the well is running dry and now the pipe is leaking. The wells in Norman Wells are running out of gas. There will be no more gas for the town of Norman Wells. Now we know the pipeline is broken. What more could happen? Imperial Oil will be shutting off its gas pumps by 2013 for the residents of Norman Wells and the gas line will be shut down for businesses by 2014. Here is what we know so far:Imperial Oil, the largest oil and gas producer in Western Canada, has gone dry, unless there’s another significant discovery or we build the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline today.People are faced with the enormous task of changing over to a new heating source. The people have limited choices: to convert to propane or diesel. A study was done and propane came out as the best solution. The town has approached the GNWT and requested assistance from the GNWT to invest and to involve in the gas committee. The town has received past financial and technical assistance and also received support from Imperial Oil in purchasing electric stoves for the residents in Norman Wells. As we speak, these stoves are being installed in the houses.The GNWT undertook a study some years ago on their own facilities and started the conversion process with the Department of Transportation. Several businesses have already changed over to propane and others will require it soon.I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.---Unanimous consent grantedMR. YAKELEYA: Who would have thought in 1921, with millions or billions of barrels of oil flowing out of Norman Wells, this well would dry? People are left holding the bag, or should I say holding an empty jerry can, to fend for themselves. We need to find a workable solution with the people of Norman Wells.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ONIMPACTS OF FEDERAL ELECTION RESULTS

MRS. GROENEWEGEN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to take the opportunity in my Member’s statement to congratulate Dennis Bevington on his decisive win, re-elected as our Member of Parliament for what will probably be another four years.I would also like to congratulate and thank the other candidates who brought their names forward: Ms. Lee and Mr. Handley, both former colleagues of ours in this Legislature; very credible candidates. Also Ms. Bonnie Dawson and Mr. Eli Purchase, who represented the Animal Rights Alliance and the Green Party.I would like to particularly thank Ms. Lee today. She had what was a rather quick departure from our midst and she had served with us for 12 years. I wanted to publicly today thank her for those 12 years of service in this Legislature to the people of the Northwest Territories. ---ApplauseOf course, my male colleagues this morning asked me if she gave me this jacket and, no, she did not.---LaughterThe political landscape in Canada has changed as of the election day. We now have a majority Conservative government. It is now incumbent on us as an Assembly and those who return to the 17th

Assembly to work together with that majority Conservative government in Ottawa and also to forge a stronger and closer working relationship with our Member of Parliament that may not have existed to the extent that it should have in the past. Partisan politics is what it is. It is a reality in southern Canada; it exists. When you look at a map of Canada now, you see Conservative representation in every jurisdiction except for ours. That does not mean that we cannot still work with a governing party and with the Government of Canada in all the parties that it represents. I think this is an opportunity for us to look at the aspirations and needs of our territory, our goals, and to be very proactive in taking this opportunity to work closely going forward.Before the federal election, Hunter Tootoo, one of our colleagues from Nunavut, and I were on a cross-country “The Current,” talking about consensus government. I guess you can be obstructionist and uncooperative in any setting and in any government, and it’s my hope that going forward in the next four years that we will see more working together in our federal Parliament and more accomplished. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ONDISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES

EXPERIENCED BY HOUSING CLIENTSMR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has come to my attention that we have a Human Rights Act in place which clearly does not allow for discrimination on the basis of race, age, gender, disability, sex, political beliefs, social conditions. It’s still apparent that the word has not gotten out, especially to our front-line workers who are discriminating on the basis that the individuals who are coming forward to pick up an application to apply to the housing authorities are refused simply because they do not want those individuals to be tenants. The Human Rights Act is very clear that you cannot discriminate solely on the basis of the person in front of you being someone you do not want as a tenant. It is very clear that the law protects you against discrimination in certain areas of your life; for example, in your workplace, in your ability to rent a place to live. The Human Rights Act has been in effect for several years. The message does not seem to have gotten out, not only to the public but also to the public service, that we’re responsible for ensuring that we as a government and Legislature and provider of programs and services understand that we do have a Human Rights Act in the Northwest Territories. We have to do everything we can to not only educate the public but to educate the public service of the Northwest Territories, the front-line workers and public housing authorities, to ensure that landlords and other people who have a responsibility to provide housing to residents of the Northwest Territories, that they do not discriminate simply because they do not want those individuals to be tenants.At the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of housing questions on exactly why this practice is still continued today. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ONISSUES IDENTIFIED AT FRAME LAKE

CONSTITUENCY MEETINGMS. BISARO: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recently held a constituency meeting in advance of session, something I’ve made a habit of doing since I was elected. It was a very successful meeting and I heard a number of valid concerns from those who were in attendance and I would like to share those with you in the House.In regard to legislation, two things came up. First, there was a need expressed for the NWT to have a building standards act. When any government in

the NWT, whether it be local, territorial, or regional, approves the construction of a building, what governs how it is built? Who inspects or approves it to ensure that it is safe for those who will use it? Where does the responsibility lie within the GNWT to make sure that the National Building Code is followed? I was advised of a building recently built without any fire protection system because the community didn’t think they needed it. This was in a building which will be used by children.Second, we discussed at some length the proposed Heritage Fund Act. Frame Lake constituents feel strongly that the Heritage Fund Act must provide for community input into the operation of the fund and that it should be overseen or governed by an arm’s length body, not by the Financial Management Board as the act currently states. The act also lacks any statement about the ethics of the Heritage Fund investments, and that’s important to my residents. They also told me that the act should identify the expected or intended sources of revenue for the fund. As the act reads now, revenue for the fund could come from GNWT operational funds, and that’s not acceptable. On another note, I heard from my constituents about the actions and words of Members of this House. They agreed that the decorum in our House is far better than that in Ottawa, but they expressed disappointment with the lack of respect shown for our federal Member of Parliament in statements made in this House during the last session and during the recent federal election. Whether or not an MLA or the government supports the party or the individual who is the NWT MP -- our MP -- he has been elected by all NWT residents and deserves to be respected for that. Lastly, I was asked to consider a novel -- novel for me anyway -- approach to how the next Premier would be chosen. Should our system not change and should I be in the House in October, my constituents want to be able to give me input on my vote for the Premier in advance of the MLAs voting for the Premier. I gladly accepted that challenge and will give Frame Lake constituents that opportunity if it comes about. MLAs are blessed with residents who are concerned about our territory and our people and who want to make the NWT the best place it can be. MR. SPEAKER: Ms. Bisaro, your time for Member’s statement has expired.MS. BISARO: I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.---Unanimous consent grantedMS. BISARO: I almost got it all in. We as MLAs would be well advised to listen to what our residents were telling us.

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MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ONTRIBUTE TO RECENTLY PASSED

TU NEDHE ELDERSMR. BEAULIEU: Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to three elders in Fort Resolution who have recently passed away. Mr. James Fabien passed away Saturday, May 7, 2011, at the age of 71. James spent many years in the hospital in Hay River before his passing. James was known to have a very good singing voice, and entertained his friends and family for years. My condolences go out to the Fabien family. Mr. Fabien will be buried today, in fact, May 11, 2011. Mr. Fabien lived in Yellowknife for many years and worked at Giant Mine. He still has two sisters living in southern Canada and has a lot of family in the North, especially Fort Resolution. Mr. Johnny Simon passed away on April 18, 2011. He was 86 years old. Johnny was the husband of the late Emily Simon and the father to Alexie, Raymond, Irene, Wilfred, Richard and Patrick. Johnny had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Johnny was very close to his great-grandchildren and grandchildren and they spent a lot of time with him. Johnny’s house was a place where the youth were always welcome. I myself would visit the household with my friends almost on a daily basis when I was a teenager growing up in Fort Resolution. Now when you drive to Fort Resolution or drive around Res, you see a whole bunch of kids at his son Wilfred’s house. I guess Wilfred is now filling the role to have a home for all of the youth that want to go visit.On November 20, 2010, Rudolphe Frank Delorme passed away at the age of 90. Rudolphe was 14 years old when he and his siblings became orphans. Being the oldest, Rudy and his late sister Elsie raised their younger siblings. Rudy left Rocher River in his early twenties and moved to Edmonton. After living in Edmonton for 50 years he returned to the North. Rudy’s niece relocated him back in 1987. He moved back to Fort Resolution, where he was reunited with the remainder of his family. Rudy lived in Fort Resolution, in the care of his niece, and great-nieces and nephews, until his last days of life.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ONDISCONTINUATION OF MEDEVAC SERVICES

AT EDMONTON CITY CENTRE AIRPORTMR. RAMSAY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on some previous statements and

questions that I’ve had in this House to the former Minister of Health and Social Services pertaining to the provision of medevac services that medevac patients from the Northwest Territories receive when arriving in Edmonton for care. The Health Quality Council of Alberta has concluded its report and come up with 18 recommendations to mitigate the loss of medevac flights to the City Centre Airport. The report finds that the move would transform hospital transport times in Edmonton from the shortest in the country to the longest in the country. Council CEO John Cowell was quoted at a news conference as saying the point we’re making is there’s a huge potential for an adverse event occurring to a patient who is caught up in a delay. Mr. Speaker, I do look forward to the Government of Alberta and other stakeholders acting upon these recommendations, but the fact remains that the runway at the City Centre Airport that had instrumentation which allowed for flights to land in bad weather has been closed. Medevac flights are being diverted to the International Airport without any of the recommendations being acted upon. The safety of our residents is being jeopardized every time a medevac gets diverted to the International Airport. To date, 44 medevac flights have been diverted to the International Airport. Although we’ve not had a bad outcome, the reality is, it’s only a matter of time, Mr. Speaker. The sooner a solution is found and the recommendations are acted upon, the better. In an ideal world, the City Centre Airport would stay operational; however, that does not seem to be the direction that the City of Edmonton is taking. In March the former Minister stated that she had officials that were directly part of the Quality Council review. I’d like to know how we were involved in that review, in the development of that report, and who was protecting the interests of our residents, and in going forward, who is going to be working with the Government of Alberta to ensure our concerns are adequately addressed, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ONINDEPENDENT REVIEW OF

LEISHMAN INCIDENT AT STANTON TERRITORIAL HOSPITAL

MR. ABERNETHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Thursday, March 3, 2011, the Regular Members of this House unanimously passed a motion requesting that the Minister of Health and Social Services immediately order an independent external investigation covering all aspects of the Leishman incident with recommendations as

necessary to improve the safety and security for all patients and staff, and improve the overall quality of care for all patients receiving care with the Stanton Territorial Hospital. Recently, I was pleased to receive correspondence from the Minister of Health and Social Services indicating that he has directed Stanton Territorial Health Authority to establish an external review committee to conduct this independent review that Ms. Leishman and the Regular Members of the 16th

Legislative Assembly have asked for. I applaud the Minister for that decision. Mr. Speaker, given that this review will be subject to the Evidence Act, I understand that it will not be made public. However, I also understand that any recommendations coming from this external review will be shared with Ms. Leishman and this government. Ultimately, the intent of the motion was to ensure that we and the health care system learn something from this horrible incident so that a similar incident is never repeated. I am hopeful that the findings of the external review will provide some closure for Ms. Leishman and allow her to focus her attention to what needs to be done now as opposed to what has happened in the past, to focus in on her son’s ongoing treatment and care. Mr. Speaker, I do have some questions regarding this external investigation. I will be seeking some clarity and answers from the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services later today. Specifically, I will be looking for some details on the nature of the external review committee; specifically who is on it and what are their qualifications to conduct an investigation of this nature. In addition, I would like some clarity on what will be shared with Ms. Leishman and the Regular Members of this Assembly. I do understand the importance of the protection offered to health care professionals under the Evidence Act; however, as indicated in my comments to the motion, I don’t believe that human or professional errors occurred in the Leishman incident. Rather, I feel the authority’s policies and procedures may not have been comprehensive enough to deal with the situation that occurred. The report may demonstrate this. If the concerns raised are based on the policies and procedures, I don’t believe that the protection of the professionals offered by the Evidence Act will apply, as their conduct and actions would not be in question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ONTRIBUTE TO RECENTLY PASSED

NUNAKPUT ELDERSMR. JACOBSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My condolences to the residents who have passed

away in my riding of Nunakput. I wish to take a moment to reflect on the constituents who passed away, the elders in my riding, since the beginning of my term. Constituents such as Andy Carpenter Sr., George Okheena, Jimmy Memogana, Margaret Egoytak, and Phillip Kataoyak. The remembrance of our elders as opening a special event or discussion is an Inuvialuit tradition which I am especially proud of. I always start my Member’s statements with paying respects to the people who have passed away and their family and friends. Since our last sitting of the Assembly we have had one death in the community of Tuktoyaktuk and a real good friend of mine growing up in the community was Thomas Kimiksana, passing on March 6th of this year.Mr. Speaker, Thomas Kimiksana had five children: Tempess, Thomas Jr., Tory, Thaylene and Pamela. His wife, Shannon Kimiksana, and their two grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, Thomas’s brothers and sisters: Roy, Joy and Brenda Kimiksana of Tuk, Fred Kimiksana, Andy Kimiksana, Anna Cockney, Margaret and Joey Carpenter from Sachs Harbour, Laverna Kimiksana, and Beverly Ford. Mr. Speaker, our communities are small and everyone knows everybody. In the community of Nunakput we are close knit and the loss of one person deeply impacts us all. Mr. Speaker, lastly, I wish to give my condolences to the people of the Northwest Territories who lost loved ones in the past few months. Our prayers to them and their families are with them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ONFEDERAL RESOURCES FOR NWT

HIGHWAY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTSMR. MENICOCHE: Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I would like to talk to you in regard to the condition of our highways in the Deh Cho. It’s a sad comment on the state of highways in the Northwest Territories. Once again, last week the Liard Highway was closed to all traffic until further notice from Kilometre 254 at Checkpoint all the way to Kilometre 38, which is the Fort Liard access road. Once again the communities of the Nahendeh region are cut off from much needed highway access. Highway No. 7 is broken and needs fixing. Over the years I have consistently spoken on the need for work on Highway No. 1 and 7. Later on today I will be tabling a petition from 462 northern residents who are willing to sign a petition for Highway No. 7 investment. The North is a challenging place to build roads, but with a strong commitment to regular maintenance

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and upkeep, our highway system will be proven to be reliable. The Government of the Northwest Territories should make this commitment and hold the newly elected federal government to its campaign promises to invest in transportation and infrastructure nationwide and to our North. The Conservative Party promised to take action on the concerns of residents in rural and remote communities, and pledged better infrastructure for First Nation communities, and resources to help develop skills among Aboriginal people in connection with infrastructure projects. Northerners should expect dollars to travel northward, not just to build new roads but maintain existing ones, and improve the standard of living for people in remote communities across the Northwest Territories. The GNWT needs to ensure the federal government understands our real infrastructure needs. As the new federal government prepares its budget, this government must ensure that the Northwest Territories doesn’t get stuck in the muskeg and miss the bus. I urge the Premier and our government to begin discussions and request funding for all our northern highway infrastructure. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. [English not provided]

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ONCOALITION AGAINST FAMILY VIOLENCE

MR. BROMLEY: Mr. Speaker, I want to express my support for the Coalition Against Family Violence’s recent recommendations for the Phase III Action Plan.Since the 2003 creation of this government-NGO partnership with 21 key participants, impressive efforts have been made towards reducing family violence, the phase 1 and 2 action plans that provided the roadmap for coordinated work across governments and society. The approach is applauded as inclusive and effective. Yet, Mr. Speaker, still the problem grows worse. With the phase 2 action plan coming to an end in March 2012, the coalition partners have assessed achievements to date and developed recommendations for government and public review in the development of the phase 3 action plan. Three major recommendations for phase 3 are familiar appeals, and I emphasize them for this government’s action. We need improved funding for four family violence centres outside Yellowknife. We need funding for outreach, advocacy and prevention in non-shelter regions. We need more ambitious delivery of programs to heal men who use violence. Sixteen further recommendations stress the areas of training, partnership and coordination, policy and legislation, and education and awareness. Together

they make a strong case for multi-year core funding of critical programs. All recommendations reflect the core need in reducing family violence. We must take an integrated cross-government approach if we are to stop battling symptoms and start drawing up causes. Without education and awareness, our efforts at prevention are handcuffed. Without effective legislation and policy, we can’t help victims escape violence or deal effectively with offenders. Without adequate safe havens throughout our communities, our costs of policing, justice and corrections will continue to drain funds from prevention. As the announcement accompanying the release of the recommendations said, they are “critical actions that will help us toward our goal of addressing gaps, shifting attitudes and enhancing services.” Mr. Speaker, the Coalition Against Family Violence continues to do its excellent work, for which I am grateful, and, Mr. Speaker, the job of this Assembly is to listen and to act. Mahsi. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ONDISCONTINUATION OF MEDEVAC SERVICES

AT EDMONTON CITY CENTRE AIRPORTMR. HAWKINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my other colleague today, I’d like to speak about the Edmonton airport closure. The closure of the Edmonton City Airport has alarming implications on our medevac patients. Our medevac patients already face a very long flight from the NWT to Edmonton for help, Mr. Speaker. Now their transportation time from the airport to the hospital is getting much longer. To be frank, Mr. Speaker, access to timely health care emergency services is the single most important priority I have; as well it’s of great concern to many northern residents. In the context of the changing of the airport, the Health Quality Council of Alberta has put the facts down on the table that need to be addressed. Medevacs are now adding additional travel time. For example, a 40-minute drive to the Royal Alex Hospital from the International Airport instead of the old five-minute drive from the Muni. Mr. Speaker, as well, a 31-minute drive to the U of A Hospital instead of the previous 13 minute drive. Simply put, Mr. Speaker, driving times from the airport will be longer for seven of the eight hospitals in the Edmonton area. As we all know, defining a hypothetical outcome may be unrealistic, but, Mr. Speaker, the fact is, common sense will tell you delays mean risk. Simply put, this could mean the difference between life and death. Mr. Speaker, the issues before us are quite simple. How is this government dealing with the potential

risks and what is their involvement on dealing with these problems? The Health Quality Council studied the impacts and they came up with a 75 page report with 18 clear recommendations. My issue is this: is the government going to ensure that it takes northern input and continues to advocate our position? What will be northern input and involvement from the Minister’s point of view, because northern input is critical for a long-term solution. Mr. Speaker, recommendation number one was to establish a transition advisory committee. Mr. Speaker, I will hope that the Minister of Health and Social Services will tell us today that he is fully committed to being involved in this process and he will clearly designate someone we know, understand and respect, to be involved in that process. Mr. Speaker, I urge the Health Minister also to see this as an opportunity because, Mr. Speaker, change is inevitable, but let’s see this as an opportunity to examine the medevac travel protocols that we use now. Mr. Speaker, we can’t put all the blame on the change that’s happening. It’s now our chance to look at how we issue emergencies, what type of aircraft we send to these types of emergencies, and how we make the final call to have a medevac. Mr. Speaker, let’s see this as an opportunity and do something about it by putting northern health care first. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

HON. JACKSON LAFFERTY: Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Ms. Jillian Huber who is a University of Regina social work practicum student who is doing her spring/summer project in the community justice division of the Department of Justice. I’d like to welcome her. Mahsi.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.MR. HAWKINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to acknowledge Ms. Maud Robinson-Spence. She’s my summer student and she’ll be working with me here at the Legislative Assembly and helping me do my duties as a Member for Yellowknife Centre. I’d like to thank her for joining the team and acknowledge her here today. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. McLeod.

HON. BOB MCLEOD: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Ed Jeske, who came to work at East Three in the 1950s and we’re fortunate that he stopped to stay behind in Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro. MS. BISARO: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize, as I said earlier, an old -- but not old in age -- colleague, Mr. Jeske. I’d like to recognize with Mr. Jeske is Vivian Squires, the executive director for the Yellowknife Seniors’ Society, and way up in the back behind me is Ms. Marty Brown, who is returning to Yellowknife after a long absence. So, welcome back. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.MR. ABERNETHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a constituent of the Great Slave riding, Mr. Mark Bogan.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. If we’ve missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Chamber, I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. It’s always nice to have an audience in here. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Oral Questions

QUESTION 46-16(6):DISCONTINUATION OF MEDEVAC SERVICES

AT EDMONTON CITY CENTRE AIRPORTMR. RAMSAY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve got questions today for the Minister of Health and Social Services related to my statement that I made previously. The former Minister of Health and Social Services, for whatever reason, didn’t want to get politically involved in the decision to close the airport in the centre of Edmonton, and for whatever reason she lacked an interest in getting politically involved. So I’d like to ask the Minister, she -- in questions I had to her previously -- had mentioned that the interests of residents in the Northwest Territories were going to be protected because we had people who were part of this Health Quality Council review that took place recently and was just released. I’d like to ask the Minister how we were involved in the development of that report and who exactly was involved in that. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Michael Miltenberger. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The involvement of the government and

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Health and Social Services was coordinated through the deputy minister’s office, who, as a former employee out of Alberta with extensive experience in the health system there, has sort of marshalled and coordinated all of our efforts. Thank you. MR. RAMSAY: Thank you. Going forward I think it’s very important that the concerns of residents here in the Northwest Territories and of this government are fully addressed by the transition with these recommendations into a new way of doing business out at the Edmonton International Airport. I’d like to ask the Minister who exactly from the Department of Health and Social Services is going to be representing the interests of the residents here in the Northwest Territories in that transition. Thank you. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: As Minister responsible, I will be overseeing it at this level and we will continue to use the good offices of the deputy minister of Health and Social Services. We are one of a number of stakeholders. We want to make sure that collectively we have the input necessary to ensure the best service possible and we will continue to do that. Thank you. MR. RAMSAY: Thank you. In the interim, and I talked earlier about the closure of the runway that has instrumentation and flights, medevac flights, having to be diverted out to the International Airport. There have been 44 of them that I know of. Obviously, these recommendations haven’t been put into place. There are gaps in the provision of services for medevac flights that are diverted to the International Airport today. I’d like to ask the Minister is the government concerned about this and how are we acting upon the fact that these flights that are diverted out there, patients are arriving on the ground in Edmonton without those provisions in place. Thank you. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you. We continue to be as proactive as we can be, recognizing decisions have been made. That report has just come out and there are 18 recommendations. Seven of them seem to be critical and to be acted on immediately. The remainder are seen to be that should be acted on prior to the final closure at the Edmonton International Airport. So we’ve had a long and storied history with what used to be the Capital Health Authority but now is Alberta Health Services. We have a good relationship with the services in Edmonton, but we have to recognize, as well, that there are changes. There are changes both in terms of this particular process; there are also changes in terms of access and ability of Alberta to meet our needs, and we are now having to plan for other locations such as Calgary or Grande Prairie. But throughout all this we are going to be working hard to make sure these 18 recommendations are implemented as soon as possible. Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.MR. RAMSAY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. Again, I think it’s important that the recommendations are acted upon in a timely manner and that the Government of the Northwest Territories is there in a meaningful way as a stakeholder in that.I’d like to ask the Minister maybe just for a commitment to bring back to Regular Members of this House updates maybe five or six months from now on some progress on these recommendations, where things are at, to the Standing Committee on Social Programs. I know there’s an election coming up in October, but if there is any progress, I’d like to get a commitment from the government that they’re going to let Regular Members know about it. Thank you.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: This is a critical issue and I share the Member’s concern and the need to keep everybody fully apprised. We will do that. We’ll ensure that before this Legislature is dissolved in August that we have an update provided to the Regular Members through the Social Programs committee. Thank you.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

QUESTION 47-16(6):FISCAL AND ECONOMIC UPDATE

MS. BISARO: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Finance. I would like to thank the Minister at the outset for the fiscal and economic update that he provided us today, but I have a few questions with regard to some of the statements in his statement.Initially, my first question goes to the announcement that BHP Billiton made recently that they plan to invest, along with partners, some $323 million in the NWT in the Ekati Diamond Mine as they go to expanding one of their pipes. I think that’s great news. Initially, I thought that was wonderful, we’re spending an awful lot of money here. I’d like to ask the Finance Minister if I could get an expression or an indication from him for the bottom line, because we know very well that once a mine spends money, that they then can claim it back and get 100 percent reduction on their taxes. So what kind of an impact is this investment by Ekati going to have on our revenues? Thank you.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We believe this is good news for the Northwest Territories. Yes, there is the ability for corporations to write off capital investments within a specified period of time, but it also indicates that there’s going to be more diamond production, that

there’s going to be, in all probability, possibly more staff hired. I don’t have a specific number at this early date what we anticipate the benefit will be to the bottom line, but this type of investment, this type of expansion will add, we think, somewhat to the mine life, but it will also increase and have a good impact on our bottom line. When we have that information, I would be happy to share that with committee. Thank you.MS. BISARO: Thanks to the Minister and I look forward to the information that he’s committed to provide. The Minister further on in his statement talked about the fact that we as a government and they as the Executive Council have set a cap of 3 percent spending on our future spending growth and we’ve managed to reasonably stay within that, I think, in the last little while. However, every year it seems we have supplementary appropriations, extra funding requests made by various departments. I’d like to know from the Minister what percentage of growth on an annual basis have we had over this past four years when we factor in all the supplementary appropriation requests which have come forward and have been approved. Thank you.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Those budget numbers are contained and we stay within the 3 percent cap that we set overall. Thank you.MS. BISARO: I guess I need to ask the Minister a written question, perhaps, to show me exactly how we reach 3 percent when we started something just under 3 percent and ask for millions and millions of dollars. I wonder why we don’t go over the 3 percent cap.I’d like to ask the Minister as well, he talked about finding critical investments, sorry, financing critical investments by finding partners in the private sector to assist us with certain large projects. It’s well known that our last effort with private partners was rather controversial and it’s unfortunately still ongoing. I’d like to know from the Minister what will be done to ensure that we won’t enter into an agreement with partners in the private sector that will lead us down the same path that we’re currently on. Thank you.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: We’ve been doing a lot of work on a P3 policy and that work is coming before us and will be shared with a committee based on the work that’s been done to date, the feedback from committee and it will be that policy that will guide us as we move forward. The Member is correct; the $75 million that we have planned for 2012-13 is very modest, especially when you look at the $1.1 billion that we put on the ground over the last three years. So we’re going to have to use our collective ingenuity and creativity to come up with ways to supplement that. Things like the private/public partnerships are going to be a critical avenue to tap into the federal program that’s

there as well as find private partners to help do projects such as the fibreoptic line. We have a hospital renovation that is coming with Stanton that is going to make the bridge look like a very modest investment and we’re going to have to work collectively to make sure we can fund all these particular initiatives. Thank you.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.MS. BISARO: Thanks, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that explanation. I look forward to seeing the finalized P3 policy really soon.The last paragraph of the Minister’s statement talked about NWT residents and businesses engaging in meaningful and frank debate. I was really encouraged to hear the Minister say that. I guess I would like to know from him what is the intent of that statement, what plans are in the works, and can I get a bit of a description of what’s intended. Thank you.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: There’s been a lot of work done in the life of this Assembly on where we are going as a Northwest Territories, what people see the future is and in terms of a vision and some of the general directions. What we’re also going to have the much harder discussion as we look at government, the revenues we have, the expenditures that are upon us, the unrelenting requests for program expansions and the other pressures we have on us to try to manage our resources to stay solvent and to not go into long-term debt. So the discussion is going to be what we have talked about as a Legislature, for example, through things like the Program Review Office to look at efficiencies, but more importantly, what are the things government does, what should it do and what shouldn’t it do. We are expected to be, in many cases, all things to all people and just things like capital loans are just not sustainable with the revenues we currently have. Thank you.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.


AT EDMONTON CITY CENTRE AIRPORTMR. BROMLEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding the Edmonton Municipal Airport closure. I have questions of detail regarding the closure and the routing medevac flights through the International. I have been informed that the original deeding of airport lands to the municipality was made with a caveat that the lands could not be used other than as an airport. Since the issue of the municipality’s discretion to make this change is fundamental to this issue, will the Minister direct staff to confirm whether in fact this was the case? Mahsi.

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MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Yes, Mr. Speaker.MR. BROMLEY: Thanks to the Minister. I appreciate that he does feel the same way as many of our colleagues do about this issue. I’ll look forward to that response. I won’t ask when, but I’m hoping he can do that as soon as possible, given the urgency of this issue.Timeliness of patient transfer and treatment is obviously the core concern in this issue and I’m sure many Members here have been told of cases where minutes have made the difference in their personal survival and those of their family members. In fact, in the last three hours, Mr. Speaker, I’ve a spoken to two individuals who say they would not be here today if the Municipal Airport had not been available. Can the Minister say what definite information is in hand now regarding the impact transfer of the medevac routing will have on wait times for patient treatment after arrival?HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: We know that there’s added time to travel, that in some cases now we will need possibly additional fuel. We will have to look at alternate landing sites. We have to look at the recommendations of the report that was just released, to assess some of those recommendations. I’m sure they have potential financial impacts. We’re going to look at those, as well. The bottom line is, there are decisions that have been made in Alberta by the Government in Alberta, by the City of Edmonton, that are within their jurisdiction and authority. They have made those. Now our responsibility is to collectively work together with them and other stakeholders to make sure that we have the best system that’s possible as a result of those decisions.MR. BROMLEY: I’m certain that nobody here is a stranger to that 30 minute trip into Edmonton from the International Airport. Many of us have probably experienced the fog conditions, the snowstorm conditions, this sort of thing. Can the Minister say whether the report he’s had on this takes into account the impact of those sorts of conditions?HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: There are recommendations, for example, of specific sites that are going to be dedicated to medevacs being loaded and unloaded, the recommendation that they somehow synchronize all the streetlights going into Edmonton into the hospital so that when a medevac is on the way it can just be green lighted all the way down. There are those type of recommendations that are there, very specific, that have to be looked at once again by the City of Edmonton and by Alberta Health Services. Of course, we will be there to ensure and encourage

them to take every effort to implement all those things that are going to make the process as expeditious and timely as possible. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Bromley.MR. BROMLEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks for those comments from the Minister. I’d like to just confirm, I appreciate that the Minister is taking a close look at the report that’s been done, doing an analysis with respect to the NWT specifically. Would the Minister provide the results of his analysis of this report NWT-specific comments to us, to the committee?HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: We would be happy to share the results of that evaluation. We’ll do it through the Social Programs committee.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

QUESTION 49-16(6):POTENTIAL SHUTDOWN OF IMPERIAL OIL

OPERATIONS IN NORMAN WELLSMR. YAKELEYA: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask a question to the lead Minister of the gas issue in Norman Wells. DPW I believe is the Minister working with the town. I want to ask the Minister if the Premier communicated to him that the town council had requested some participants to be involved in their committee that looks for long-term solutions on the conversion of alternative heating sources and if the GNWT is going to play an important role in part of the town committee and this gas issue.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister responsible for Public Works and Services, Mr. Michael McLeod.HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of natural gas supply in the municipality of Norman Wells has been a concern raised by the community for quite a few years now, as far back as the 14th Assembly. It became a very serious concern as Imperial Oil had indicated during the life of the 15th Assembly that they would be shutting down their supply. After a lot of discussion, which included ourselves and the Premier of the day, the company decided that they would supply another four years. So we’re on the second year of that commitment and we’re continuing to look at the long-term solutions with the municipality. The community has done a lot of good work. They have been very proactive. They have engaged consultants and some technical expertise from our departments. I think they are moving at quite a good pace. There have been proposals submitted. There are options they have to work on, however, those haven’t been formalized and that work will continue. The Premier has conveyed the discussion

that he has had with the municipality with our department. MR. YAKELEYA: The Town of Norman Wells wants to have the GNWT part of their committee, to be involved, not just to report to them when they’re asking for a report or update. I want to ask the Minister again, is the government actively involved in the committee as one of the committee members looking at this solution to deal with the supply of alternative source heating for the community?HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: Within our government we have the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee and through that committee we’ve set up a subcommittee that involves many of the departments across our government that deal with this issue that Norman Wells is facing. The chair of that subcommittee is the regional director. He’s in contact with the community on a regular basis. We have people in attendance at all the meetings that they have. I think they had one yesterday. We had our assistant deputy minister there, along with other government representatives. As to whether they sit formally or have been incorporated as part of the municipal committee, I can’t confirm that. I certainly would have to follow that up.MR. YAKELEYA: The town has indicated that when they go to a propane solution for the heating of the community and the residents, they would look towards millions of dollars to be invested to bring in the propane tanks and converting the whole town to that source of heating. I want to ask the Minister if he’s going to bring forward a discussion paper to this government or the next government to look at helping the Town of Norman Wells with the financial assistance to help the residents and possibly the businesses to look at converting some of their stoves, fridges, washers, dryers, furnaces, to help them with the stress of finding this new source of heating.HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: The community of Norman Wells has not reached that stage where they have put a price tag, nor have they reached the point where they are deciding, or in a position to decide, whether they are going to go with propane or heating fuel. There is a lot of discussion that has to take place. There are some proposals on the table with a price tag on it. There are other factors that have to be considered. The proposal that has been presented to the community does not include the residents, does not include some of the commercial buildings. There has to be further analysis and we’d have to decide on next steps from that point on.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.MR. YAKELEYA: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just recently the pipeline has sprung a leak in Alberta and just outside of Wrigley. Now there’s an emergency to the town of Norman Wells and

looking at an emergency situation here. I’ll ask the Minister if his officials are in the community as we speak today, looking at how they can deal with the issue of helping them deal with this emergency. As noted by the MACA bureaucrat that this wasn’t considered an emergency, our mayor wasn’t very happy in Norman Wells. I want to ask the Minister what he is doing to look at the emergency issue in Norman Wells as we speak today on the leak of the pipeline in the valley.HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: It’s not within my area of responsibility to declare emergencies within the municipalities. That falls under a different department. I can confirm to the Member that we have been actively involved with the municipality. We have people on the ground. Our assistant deputy minister was in Norman Wells yesterday. We’ve had some good discussions. Imperial Oil was also at the meeting. Enbridge Pipelines was also at the meetings. There is a lot of concern within the municipality as the Plains Midwest Canada Pipeline sprung a leak and it had impacts that affected the community. We thought those issues would be resolved as that piece of pipeline was repaired. The request was placed with the Alberta Government to put the pipeline back on line. We have since, very recently, been made aware that there is a further pipeline leak just outside the community of Wrigley. Enbridge has engaged their staff. They’re on site right now. NEB has sent representatives and they’re looking at finding solutions to deal with that. That has compounded the situation in Norman Wells. Imperial Oil has informed us that they’re putting further tanks on line as they need to be able to store the crude that they produce as the natural gas is a by-product of their production of crude. They’re putting two tanks on the line. We expect one to be in service today and another one tomorrow. Both would allow for another additional week of supply. We calculate that there would be roughly five weeks of supply in the system, and we’re also looking at a synthetic natural gas conversion unit which mixes air with propane that would carry us through. There’s one in the municipality that’s being tested today and there is another one that is being dismantled in Calgary that will be brought up if required. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

QUESTION 50-16(6):FEDERAL RESOURCES FOR NWT

HIGHWAY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTSMR. MENICOCHE: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I was speaking about highway infrastructure in the Northwest Territories. In the last Conservative budget they did speak about $150 million investment in the Northwest Territories. However, I’m of the opinion that it

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should be for the whole of the Northwest Territories. I’d like to ask the Deputy Premier how does this Government of the Northwest Territories plan to respond to the results of the recent federal election and their budgeting process.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Deputy Premier, Mr. Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I must humbly ask the Member to repeat the question. I was otherwise occupied and didn’t catch the question. I will either answer it or I will refer it to the appropriate Minister. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Repeat your question please, Mr. Menicoche.MR. MENICOCHE: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Deputy Premier, given the results of the recent federal election that’s all over with now -- we have a majority Conservative government -- I’d just like to know how our government plans to respond to the results of the recent federal election and their budgeting process. I understand that the old budget that they released in March is now dead. We’ll be looking at some new budgeting figures. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Once again I apologize to the Member for not catching the question the first time. It’s a very good, important question. In the life left in this Assembly we have a number of priorities, as I indicated in my fiscal update. One of the key ones for us, of course, is going to be to get clarity on our borrowing limit. We also, like other jurisdictions, would like to know what’s going to be in the budget. We understand that they’ve committed to taking $11 billion out in terms of their efforts to fight the deficit and debts that they have as a federal government. We hear already that programs are being affected in the North because of that, so we have to track that very clearly, because it’s going to impact our ability in a whole host of areas depending on what those cuts are. I know the Premier has already been in contact with Ottawa about establishing contact and opportunity to sit down with Prime Minister Harper. As well, as soon as the Cabinet is announced, Ministers here will be as well doing that with their counterparts. Either the Ministers will be confirmed or there will be a change in portfolios. But regardless, as soon as confirmation is there, we will be moving to have that discussion with the Members that are going to be responsible for those federal portfolios. Thank you. MR. MENICOCHE: The Deputy Premier did well in answering those questions, and that’s exactly what I was looking for. I was looking for how is our government, how is our Minister going to engage with the new federal government to let them know our needs, especially our infrastructure needs. So

just with that, Mr. Speaker, how is this government going to engage with the federal government to get resources for our NWT highway systems, Mr. Speaker? Thank you. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: One of the strong messages from Prime Minister Harper, when he was here, as reiterated by Minister Bob McLeod, was his commitment to look at a package that will assist the pipeline, but tied to infrastructure and other supports. So that will be one way. We all as Ministers have our work that was ongoing with the federal government that was put on hold as a result of the election. Indications from officials that we’ve been in contact with indicate that they’re still waiting for their confirmation by the Prime Minister of who’s going to be Cabinet Ministers in the government, and at that point things will start rolling again. We have all the issues we have had on the table prior to the election we will re-engage on. As well, we will be tracking some of the changes now that there’s a majority, what that may mean. There’s been a clear focus on deficit reduction. We have to find out what that will mean specifically. So we recognize that there’s going to be a turning away from stimulus to looking at deficit reduction and trying to balance the books. So we have to recognize that we’re not going to see $1.1 billion over the next three years anytime soon. So we’ll do all that work that I’ve just outlined. Thank you. MR. MENICOCHE: I think it’s very important for us to get in early and meet with the new federal government, and I would like our government to have a strategy to plan to be down there, our Ministers to be down there, our Premier to be down there, and let him know our infrastructure needs. The Conservative government had high commitment for our rural and remote communities and I would like our government to convey that as the federal government begins their process on working on their new federal budget, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Deputy Premier his strategy with regard to that, as well. Mahsi. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: We are fully committed to that process. We have a Federal Engagement Strategy that the Premier has laid out. We will re-engage as soon as we know who the players are going to be to in fact do that. We have four months left. I indicated one of the keys for us going forward to manage our own affairs is going to be the clarity and the conclusion of the committed to process to resolve the borrowing limit. The broader issue of the federal budget, we will be there… We have to be very strategic in our asks. We can’t go there with a long list. We have to look at what our one or two or three top priorities are going to be. But we take the Member’s concern and we will be pushing to make sure the Northwest Territories is considered front and centre. Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche. MR. MENICOCHE: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. That’s exactly what I’m urging this government to do, is as we’re meeting for the next couple of weeks in their Cabinet strategy sessions, to put that on their agenda just to see how it will all unfold. I too am looking forward to whoever the Ministers are, because then we’ll exactly know who’s got experience in the North and who can hear our specific needs here in the Northwest Territories, especially with rural and remote communities and our aging highway infrastructure systems. So that’s why I would like our government to make it a priority as they develop their Federal Engagement Strategy for this new government. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. I don’t know if I heard a question there. Mr. Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to support what the Member’s saying, as well as to indicate one of the other things that I think everybody’s keen to do, is to forge a stronger working relationship with our Member of Parliament to use all the tools in the toolboxes that are available to us collectively to push the agenda of the North. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.


AT EDMONTON CITY CENTRE AIRPORTMR. HAWKINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like earlier today, a number of my colleagues both had statements and asked questions regarding the closure of the Edmonton Municipal Airport and the planes being diverted to the International Airport. As such, I think they thoroughly thrashed around the concerns about being involved in the process of the advisory committee. I think the next phase of this particular problem, really we should use this as an opportunity and perhaps maybe a call to action to address how we run our medevac system, Mr. Speaker. Our health system would issue a tender and have protocols developed as well as internal ones, whether it’s with health boards, whether it’s health centres, on how medevacs are called, as well as things like, for example, specs of airplanes, whether they’re using props or jets, examples like that, Mr. Speaker. My question to the Minister of Health and Social Services is as such, Mr. Speaker: will the Department of Health and Social Services do a review on how we run our medevac system from the moment somebody comes in from a health centre that needs to be addressed through the

medevac protocols and then the issues of the call to the delivery of them into the health service in Alberta? Would he be doing any type of review as I’ve sort of described? Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When you look at the 18 recommendations, there are some very specific ones. Some of them will have technical impacts, logistical impacts. We are going to be looking at all of those. We are going to be doing the program as well as sitting down with the current provider for medevac services to look at any technical questions that may result. There are things that relate to the amount of gas, sites that are going to be used, the need for cross-training of crews. There’s a whole host of areas that have to be looked at carefully. So, yes, this report will necessitate a review of how we do business from start to finish as it pertains to medevacs. MR. HAWKINS: I did have a chance to read the report and I was really glad that the Health Quality Council did it, and I want to commend them on their work and effort as well as acknowledge the staff from the Department of Health and Social Services on being involved on the ground floor to make sure our input was taken. But the report recommendations really focus on, in my view, is to once the plane gets to Edmonton and how they address those particular areas. My area of interest in my line of questioning here today has more to do with our internal process, the ones we can control and dictate. Like the old saying goes, you can point one finger but you’ve got three pointing back at you. This is our chance to look at these types of protocols we run within our own system. As I was trying to say earlier, instead of spec’ing in the contract that goes out to tender a prop plane, we can insist upon a jet plane, staffing levels, readiness awareness, things of those types of designations, the ones we can control outside of that. Mr. Speaker, that’s the type of exchange I’d like to have here today and certainly that’s, hopefully, the type of observation and review that the Department of Health and Social Services… So I ask it in that direction, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister of Health and Social Services issue some type of instruction to review how we do our medical travel protocols? Thank you.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: If the Member has specific concerns in the North about how we provide those services and if he’s suggesting, for example, that we change the specifications and require jets versus any kind of prop fixed-wing plane, that’s a discussion we have to look at. Everything has a cost, as well. We’re trying to

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manage our expenditures in this area and this is an area where the costs are constantly increasing, so we’d have to be very careful and clear. If the Member has some specifics that he thinks are worth review, I’d be happy to have that discussion with him. Thank you. MR. HAWKINS: I want to thank the Minister for that particular answer. I think he knows exactly the concern I’m on, and I think I recognize that in his response from the last questions. Mr. Speaker, I don’t know if I need my fourth question. My third one will quite simply be: would the Minister be willing to have a meeting with some of the industry reps from the medevac community? Again, if I could coordinate them in a very succinct way that had solutions to fine tuning our medevac process or system, would he be willing to sit down with them and discuss these types of issues and perhaps maybe we can find a nicer way, more efficient way? And recognizing cost is always an issue. That type of discussion. Would the Minister be willing to sit down with me and a coordinated group to, again, very particularly look at these issues to see what we could do to help? Thank you. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you. There was just a meeting earlier this week among the providers, ourselves, the Health department, as a government, about issues pertaining to medevacs. As the Minister I would want to have an opportunity to talk to the deputy and to our own officials about what transpired in that meeting so that we’re not inserting ourselves into a process that may be well underway in dealing with a lot of the questions the Member raised. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you. Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins. MR. HAWKINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was just hoping for a yes, he’d be willing to do that. But, actually, the Minister is correct about that last meeting, because I did bring in an industry rep a week ago just to talk about medevacs in general, and I was well aware of that particular meeting. Perhaps maybe what I could do is ask the Minister to commit to bringing me up to speed as to the information done in that dialogue with the group that take care of medevacs and to see if, once we digest that, there’s some input that can be offered, because I think the medevac community wants to be involved in the solution. The Minister is correct; cost is always a problem, but I don’t think it’s the one that should block us from the right decision and I want to ensure it’s productive. So I’ll ask the Minister to commit to bringing me up to speed as to what happened at that last medevac meeting. Thank you. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you. I will commit to update and I will do that through the Social Programs committee, and I am happy to have any discussion with the Member that he thinks

is necessary. But I will look at the results of the meeting and I will share that information with the Social Programs committee. As well, I’d be happy to have any kind of further discussion that the Member may require. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you. Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

QUESTION 52-16(6):INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF

LEISHMAN INCIDENT ATSTANTON TERRITORIAL HOSPITAL

MR. ABERNETHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d once again like to applaud the Minister of Health and Social Services for directing Stanton to establish an external review committee to conduct an independent review of the Leishman incident based on the motion that we passed in this House earlier this calendar year. I think it’s a great step. I do have a couple of questions, Mr. Speaker, specifically with respect to the external review committee itself. I was wondering if the Minister could give me a bit of an idea of how many members are on this committee and what are their qualifications to conduct an investigation of this nature. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Michael Miltenberger. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What we’ve done is bring in one very qualified individual, working under the guidance... They will have their arm’s length ability to do the work necessary, but brought in to work through the department. His name is Dr. Douglas Perry. He is a practicing emergency medicine physician, a senior health administrator from Alberta. He’s served as a senior provincial clinical advisor with Alberta Health and Wellness. He also has emergency medicine practice in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Misericordia Hospital in Edmonton. Thank you. MR. ABERNETHY: Thank you. So it sounds like the committee is one person, which is fine. That’s acceptable. I’m still happy that it’s getting done and it certainly sounds like this individual has a lot of qualifications. Has this individual conducted investigations of this nature in any other jurisdictions that we know of? Thank you.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you. I understand he has engaged in this type of review before. I can’t tell the Member exactly where, but that’s one of the reasons he was asked to do this. Thank you. MR. ABERNETHY: That’s good news. That’s what I was hoping that we would actually hear. I guess my next question that follows in line is do we have a bit of a timeline on how long it’s going to take for

this review to be done. This family has been waiting for a while and it’s something that happened well over a year ago, actually over two years ago now. So I was just wondering if we could get a bit of a timeline of when we can expect to see some results from this investigation.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: I would hope to have this concluded by the end of June. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final supplementary, Mr. Abernethy.MR. ABERNETHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question, I indicated and I understand the nature of the Evidence Act and how information is intended to be kept confidential certainly with respect to what any doctors or nurses will indicate during this investigation, but during my statement, or sorry, response to the motion, I indicated that, based on what I know and what I understand, I don’t believe it was a human error, I believe it was more of a policy issue and a protocol issue within the hospital. Under the Evidence Act we can’t be told anything that is done or said by the health professionals, but I’m curious why we can’t get information with respect to protocols. If there are protocols that are in error or insufficient, should that information not be available to us so that we can help make decisions in the best interests of the people of the Northwest Territories? So I guess I’m getting at the recommendations and how we get to those recommendations. Do we get to hear some of those pieces or those findings? Thank you. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you. I’ve already committed to share the results of this review with committee. We’ll look at what those recommendations are, what they say and, as well, we’ll be able to review what he proposes as a response. We also indicated that we will have a separate meeting with Mrs. Leishman to as well review some of those findings with her, as well, so she can have some closure to the circumstances that she has been dealing with. So we will share that information with committee. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

QUESTION 53-16(6):REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED

SITES IN TU NEDHEMR. BEAULIEU: Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I’ve been a bit concerned about the contaminated sites and waste sites in Tu Nedhe. I want to know what the plan is for this government, GNWT, to work with the federal government in cleaning up the contaminated waste sites in the NWT. Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a shared responsibility with the federal government. We have a responsibility for those sites that are on Commissioner’s land. The majority of contaminated sites are on federal Crown land. So if the Member has specific questions about those that fall directly within our jurisdiction, we can talk about those in detail. The broader issue of contaminated sites is one that part of the negotiations for the devolution in taking over of authorities. It’s a significant part of that discussion. As well, one of the concerns, as I’ve indicated earlier, is that we understand, and what we’re starting to hear is that with the federal government looking at restraint, that they’re withdrawing money, that in fact the areas like contaminated sites and the money that’s currently there are going to be impacted. How much, we don’t know specifically at this point. So we will have to see what’s possible. That’s a general statement. If the Member has specific questions about sites, I’d be happy to sit down with him to look at what the specifics are. Thank you. MR. BEAULIEU: Thank you. I think that would be a good start, to have the Department of Environment and Natural Resources look at the sites that the GNWT is responsible for. I think if we start there and recognize a shared responsibility between the federal government and the GNWT on contaminated sites that may be outside the community, some of them, maybe not all of them, but there are also contaminated sites that are the responsibility of the GNWT. To identify those and determine what the plan is I guess is what I’m asking the Minister. Thank you. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: When I look at the list that ENR has and that the Government of the Northwest Territories has responsibility for, there are five in Fort Resolution that I have on a list here. As well, I think there are two in Lutselk’e. Thank you. MR. BEAULIEU: Can the Minister tell me when the department plans to start the process of cleaning up those seven sites for now? Although my understanding from the community is there are more contaminated sites than that, but that would be, like I said, a good start. What’s the plan to start?HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: I’ll have to commit to get back to the Member. The information that I have before me indicates that three of the sites in Fort Resolution there is work being done in terms of excavation and clean-up. The two in Lutselk’e I don’t have any information that would indicate to me what state they are in in the process.

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I will commit to get the Member an update on all those seven sites.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.MR. BEAULIEU: There seems to be a bit of a difference between what the community thinks the clean-up should be and what the government thinks the clean-up should be. The community in Lutselk’e feels that the one contaminated site that’s been a bit of an issue is more contaminated than the government feels. I was wondering if the Minister could ensure that the officials from ENR do a bit of a community consultation, at least with Lutselk’e, before they do the complete scope of work on the clean-up.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: There are the two sites: the tank farm and the power plant. I will get the information, I will get an update, I will share that with the Member and then I’ll seek his feedback to see about if what’s being proposed looks like it’s going to meet the requirements or if there are other things that need to be included. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

QUESTION 54-16(6):DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES

EXPERIENCED BY HOUSING CLIENTSMR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of the Housing Corporation. It’s in regard to my Member’s statement and under the Human Rights Act there are certain obligations we have as governments to ensure that we also do not discriminate or harass our clients, whether it’s social housing or whatnot. Under the act it’s clear that it’s against the law to discriminate against a tenant, rental applicant, based on the personal characteristics or grounds. I mentioned the whole area of race, religion, age, disability, sex, gender, marital status, political beliefs, social conditions, and individuals who may have a criminal record. It has come to my attention that individuals are being refused from even being able to pick up an application to fill out the application to apply for housing, especially with the local housing authority. I’d like to ask the Minister what we are doing to ensure that we are living up to our obligations under the Human Rights Act to ensure that we are not discriminating against tenants from picking up applications. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Robert McLeod.HON. ROBERT MCLEOD: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m unaware of the situation the Member speaks of. If we have cases where individuals are

refused applications, I would like to know the details so I can follow up with it, because we wouldn’t condone that type of treatment to those that want to apply for public housing.MR. KRUTKO: This has come to my attention not once but several times. I believe that we do have an obligation under the Human Rights Act as a government to fulfill our obligations as providers of services and to ensure that we are not discriminating clients. What is the Housing Corporation doing to ensure that front-line workers, whether it’s housing authorities and staff, are aware of their obligations under the Human Rights Act? HON. ROBERT MCLEOD: Our front-line workers at the LHOs have been doing what they do for a long time and they’re well aware of all the issues out there. Again, without knowing the particulars of the issue that the Member is raising, once I find out the particulars I will be able to follow up. I can assure him that all our front-line workers are well aware of their responsibilities and take them very seriously.MR. KRUTKO: These are serious allegations and I hope the Minister will take some leadership here. These allegations where an individual cannot go into a housing authority and pick up an application, is told that we will not give you an application, are against the Human Rights Act. I’d like to ask the Minister if he can write a letter to the local housing authorities making them aware that they cannot discriminate an individual from picking up an application and they have every right to fill out that application and process it. I’d like to ask the Minister if he could commit to writing that letter.HON. ROBERT MCLEOD: The Minister will show some leadership but the Minister has to know what he’s dealing with. Without knowing the particulars, again, I can follow up with it once I know the particulars. I would mention that if tenants out there feel like they’re being discriminated against, there is a process to go through the Human Rights Commission if they feel like they’ve been discriminated against. They have that avenue. Again, I will commit to following up on the issue that the Member is saying because we do take it very seriously. We wouldn’t want to see anybody denied an application because of previous tenancy.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.MR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I take the Minister’s advice and suggest that all tenants who are having this situation do go to the Human Rights Commission and file their complaints and maybe that’s the only place they’re going to get some reprieve here. I’d like to ask the Minister again, will you consider writing a letter to your local housing authorities and making them aware of the Human Rights Act and that it is a discriminatory matter if

you are not allowing people to pick up an application?HON. ROBERT MCLEOD: I will commit to the Member that I’ll follow up on it, and if I need to, I will make all the LHOs aware of their responsibilities. I don’t think I’d be telling them anything new. I think they’re all well aware of their responsibilities. Like I said, they’ve been doing this work for a long time. They know what they’re up against. I would like to speak to the Member and get the details of the issues of the cases that he’s raising so that I can follow up on them, because I wasn’t aware of this issue until the Member raised it in the House today.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

QUESTION 55-16(6):BEDBUG INFESTATION INNORTHERN PROPERTIES

MRS. GROENEWEGEN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we were children and our parents put us to bed and said, “Sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite,” I didn’t know there was such a thing as bedbugs. My questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. We’ve heard media reports and we’ve had a press conference held by the former Minister of Health and Social Services about the fact that bedbugs have now arrived in the Northwest Territories. This is a serious and costly problem. I have heard of apartment buildings, I have heard of people in public housing here in Yellowknife. It’s so insidious you don’t even want to name names of where you’ve actually heard these things are. And they are so transportable: on people’s shoes, on their socks, on their clothes, on their suitcases. I’d like to know what initiative is this government taking to address this, what I consider to be a public health issue, as a government to address bedbugs in the Northwest Territories. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are protocols that are fairly standard in terms of how you deal with these type of infestations and when they occur. We become aware of them. We work with building owners or whoever’s necessary, and pest control people, to look at the steps for proper eradication.MRS. GROENEWEGEN: This is fairly new to the Northwest Territories, I think. At least that’s what we’re told. Does this government have a specific policy initiative, some means to assist people that may encounter this situation? It is not an

inexpensive solution. Do bedbugs pose a health risk?HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Bedbugs do not spread disease and are not considered a public health hazard in terms of spreading disease. There are ways to deal with them. There are eradication methods, pest control systems in place to help deal with those type of infestations. We will work with, as I indicated, communities, businesses, building managers, to assist and make sure the proper steps are taken with properly qualified pest control folks.MRS. GROENEWEGEN: We read in last week’s Hub, I guess, that this has become a problem or has been identified as a problem in certain buildings in Hay River, as well. Unfortunately, it started off in Yellowknife. It seems they seem to have migrated from Yellowknife outwards. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what the point of contact is in our communities for finding out what we can do. Where is the information? Where is the awareness? Where can people access the support that he speaks of?HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: In Hay River it would be the folks that work in the hospital that deal with environmental health issues. Here it would be the same. With your local health centre, if there are no environmental health officials available. The folks in the health centres, the trained staff, nurses and such would be the first point of contact.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.MRS. GROENEWEGEN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To curb the spread of infestations of bedbugs in the Northwest Territories, will public health officials, environmental health inspectors, be prepared to issue work orders to insist that buildings known to have infestations address the problem and not leave it unattended so that the situation gets worse and it spreads to more places? Will work orders similar to what would be issued by a fire marshal or any kind of health inspector work order, will those type of work orders relate to this matter?HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: There’s a range of intervention that we have possible and I believe that is one of them. We try to work collaboratively and proactively with those that are involved, so we’ll follow that process. If it comes down to that type of final decision, I believe that, yes, we have the authority to do that. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The time for question period has expired. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

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Returns to Written Questions

RETURN TO WRITTEN QUESTION 1-16(6):NUTRITION AND HEALTHY EATING PROGRAMSCLERK OF THE HOUSE (Mr. Mercer): Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Ms. Bisaro on March 7, 2011, regarding nutrition and healthy eating programs.1. Provide a list of all the nutrition or healthy

eating or healthy foods programs run by the GNWT across all the departments.

The Government of the Northwest Territories supports various school-based healthy eating and nutrition programs and initiatives. The Department of Health and Social Services is currently developing an overall NWT Healthy Eating and Nutrition Strategy, of which the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is a partner. Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table the Listing of Nutrition, Healthy Eating and Healthy Foods Programs.The departments of Education, Culture and Employment, and Health and Social Services, as well as Health Canada and the Public Healthy Agency of Canada also provide funding to support a variety of NWT community wellness programs. These programs work to improve the well-being of NWT children, families and communities. Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table the Listing of NWT Community Wellness Programs.2. Provide the amount of funding on an annual

basis attached to each of these programs.The GNWT has been able to utilize a combination of federal, external and territorial funding sources to support and promote children’s health in school-based settings. Drop the Pop and Together for Healthy Learning are federally funded under the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative through the collaborative efforts of HSS and ECE under the broader umbrella of the Healthy Choices Framework. Funding information is provided in the tabled document Listing of Nutrition, Healthy Eating and Healthy Foods Programs.3. Provide the anticipated sunset or termination

date for each of these programs.The anticipated sunset or termination dates vary for the different GNWT school-based nutrition and healthy eating programs. Drop the Pop and Together for Healthy Learning are ongoing annually, dependent on the availability and approval of use of federal funds to continue these programs. The SipSmartNWT project funding from Canadian Partnerships Against Cancer (CLASP) will sunset March 31, 2012. Healthy Food for Learning and ASA attendance projects that did sunset on March 31, 2011. The Healthy Promotion Fund is ongoing annually, however, funding is based on eligible applications received from school-

based organizations and varies considerably from year to year. This is not a school-based program per se, but can be accessed by schools based on eligibility.4. Provide the criteria which determines who is

eligible for funding under each of these programs.

Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table the Eligibility Criteria for Nutrition, Healthy Eating and Healthy Foods Programs.Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

RETURN TO WRITTEN QUESTION 2-16(6):NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS

IN THE SAHTU REGIONMr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. Yakeleya on March 7, 2011, regarding negotiated contracts in the Sahtu region.1. Please provide the number of negotiated

contracts and the amount of each one for the communities of Fort Good Hope, Colville Lake, Deline, Norman Wells and Tulita, issued to local contractors over the past three fiscal years.

2. Please provide the number of negotiated contracts and the amounts for each one in the Sahtu issued to contractors based outside of each community over the past three years.

I would like to advise that the Negotiated Contracts Policy (11.25) requires the Premier to prepare and make publicly available an annual report on all negotiated contracts awarded in accordance with that policy. Three reports have been published since the policy’s establishment, and later today, at the appropriate time, I will be tabling those reports.Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

RETURN TO WRITTEN QUESTION 3-16(6):OPPORTUNITIES FUND LOAN

TO DISCOVERY AIR INC.Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. David Ramsay, MLA, Kam Lake, on Tuesday, March 8, 2011, regarding the Opportunities Fund loan to Discovery Air Inc.I am pleased to inform you that the Discovery Air Inc. (DA) has consented to the release of the following information in response to your questions. The loan is currently up to date, all payments have been made in full, and all covenants have been fulfilled.1. Would the Minister provide a breakdown of all

payments made by Discovery Air Inc. on its Opportunities Fund loan and the balance owing on the loan as of January 1, 2011?

As of January 1, 2011, the loan balance was $34 million and interest payments made to the

Northwest Territories Opportunities Fund (NWTOF) totalled $6.45 million. The $6.45 million was comprised of 23 monthly interest payments, at the rate of 10 percent (calculated semi-annually, not in advance), paid on the first day of each month from March 1, 2009, to January 1, 2011.2. Would the Minister provide details of any

amendments to the Discovery Air Inc. Opportunities Fund loan agreement since the original loan agreement was entered into?

In regards to amendments made to the loan agreement, I can advise that there have been six amendments made to the loan agreement as of January 1, 2011. Each amendment involved the disposition of a secured asset by DA. The amendments are as follows: two fleet assets, marked for replacement, were

sold and proceeds used to provide capital for the purchase of comparable assets; the NWTOF then registered security on the purchased assets;

three fleet assets, marketed as surplus to business needs, were sold and proceeds used to pay down the debt owed General Electric Canada Equipment Financing G.P.; the debt reductions served to improve the overall security position of NWTOF; and

one fleet asset, marked as non-operating, was sold and proceeds used to supplement general working capital.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

RETURN TO WRITTEN QUESTION 4-16(6):NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS FOR HOUSING

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. David Krutko on March 8, 2011, regarding negotiated contracts for housing.1. The number of negotiated contracts issued to

local contractors and the amount of each over the last five fiscal years:

There were three negotiated contracts awarded to local contractors: A.C. Contracting ($298,000 in fiscal year 2007-2008 and $343,000 in fiscal year 2009-2010), and Ehdiitat Gwich’in Council ($235,000 in fiscal year 2007-2008), totalling $876,000.2. The number of contracts issued during the past

five years to contractors based outside these communities and the amount for each one:

There were 91 contracts awarded to contractors outside of these communities, amounting to $9,607,957.3. A list of all contracts issued during the past five

years and the amounts of each one:

There were 121 contracts issued for work in these communities over the past five years, amounting to $12,731,228.Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table All Contracts for NWT Housing Corporation 2006-2011.Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

RETURN TO WRITTEN QUESTION 5-16(6):COST OF DEVOLUTION PUBLIC CAMPAIGN

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. Krutko on March 10, 2011, regarding the cost of devolution public campaign.The Government of the Northwest Territories has spent a total of $40,440.24 on print, radio and on-line advertising explaining the devolution negotiations process and the contents of the Devolution Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) since it was signed in January 2011. This includes: plain language devolution householder -

$7,154.49 newspaper advertising - $16,608.75 radio advertising - $15,952.00 on-line advertising - $725.00Public communications are intended to ensure that all residents of the NWT have a clear understanding of the potential benefits of devolution, what it will and will not include, and how the AIP was negotiated.Thank you, Mr. Speaker.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Petitions

PETITION 1-16(6):FUNDING FOR UPGRADESTO THE LIARD HIGHWAY

MR. MENICOCHE: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of funding for upgrades to the Liard Highway. The petition contains 462 signatures of Northwest Territories residents and the petitioners request that the Department of Transportation and the Government of the Northwest Territories reinstate funding for upgrades to Highway No. 7, the Liard Highway, beginning in fiscal year 2012-2013.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

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PETITION 2-16(6):SAVE THE JOE GREENLAND CENTRE

MR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to present a petition dealing with the matter of saving the Joe Greenland Centre. The petition contains 291 signatures of Northwest Territories residents. The petitioners request that the government leaders continue to provide 24-hour residential support services at the Joe Greenland Centre.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Reports of Committeeson the Review of Bills

BILL 5:WRITE-OFF OF DEBTS ACT, 2010-2011

MR. MENICOCHE: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed Bill 5, Write-off of Debts Act, 2010-2011, and wishes to report that Bill 5 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

BILL 6:FORGIVENESS OF DEBTS ACT, 2010-2011

MR. HAWKINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed Bill 6, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2010-2011, and wishes to report that Bill 6 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

BILL 8:AN ACT TO AMEND THE

LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS ACTMR. RAMSAY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure has reviewed Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Local Authorities Elections Act, and wishes to report that Bill 8 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Tabling of Documents

TABLED DOCUMENT 7-16(6):SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES

(INFRASTRUCTURE EXPENDITURES),NO. 6, 2010-2011


(INFRASTRUCTURE EXPENDITURES),NO. 1, 2011-2012


(OPERATIONS EXPENDITURES),NO. 1, 2011-2012

MR. MILTENBERGER: Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents entitled: Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 6, 2010-2011; Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012; and Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

TABLED DOCUMENT 10-16(6):LISTING OF NUTRITION, HEALTHY EATING

AND HEALTHY FOOD PROGRAMS

TABLED DOCUMENT 11-16(6):LISTING OF NWT COMMUNITY

WELLNESS PROGRAMS

TABLED DOCUMENT 12-16(6):ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR GNWT

SCHOOL-BASED NUTRITION, HEALTHY EATING AND HEALTHY FOODS PROGRAMS

HON. JACKSON LAFFERTY: Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Return to Written Question 1-16(6), I wish to table the following three documents entitled: Listing of Nutrition, Healthy Eating and Healthy Foods Program; Listing of NWT Community Wellness Programs; and Eligibility for GNWT School-Based Nutrition, Healthy Eating and Healthy Foods Programs. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

TABLED DOCUMENT 13-16(6):NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS

ANNUAL REPORT 2007-2008


ANNUAL REPORT 2008-2009


ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010HON. BOB MCLEOD: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Return to Written Question 2-16(6), I wish to table the following three documents entitled: Negotiated Contracts Annual Report, Contracts Awarded Under Negotiated Contracts Policy, September 2007 to September 2008; Negotiated Contracts Annual Report, Contracts Awarded Under Negotiated Contracts Policy, October 2008 to September 2009; and Negotiated Contracts Annual Report, Contracts Awarded Under Negotiated Contracts Policy, October 2009 to September 2010. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Mr. Robert McLeod.

TABLED DOCUMENT 16-16(6):ALL CONTRACTS FOR NWT HOUSING

CORPORATION 2006-2011FOR AKLAVIK, FORT MCPHERSON

AND TSIIGEHTCHICHON. ROBERT MCLEOD: Mr. Speaker, further to my Return to Written Question 4-16(6), I wish to table the following document entitled All Contracts for NWT Housing Corporation 2006-2011 for Aklavik, Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Clerk.

TABLED DOCUMENT 17-16(6):RESPONSE TO PETITION 9-16(5),NWT HOUSING CORPORATION

RENTAL POLICIES

TABLED DOCUMENT 18-16(6):RESPONSE TO PETITION 10-16(5),

EXPANSION OF THE MIDWIFERY PROGRAM

TABLED DOCUMENT 19-16(6):RESPONSE TO PETITION 11-16(5),

SAVE THE JOE GREENLAND CENTRECLERK OF THE HOUSE (Mr. Mercer): Mr. Speaker, I’d like to table a response to a petition provided by the Honourable Robert C. McLeod, Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories

Housing Corporation, in response to a petition tabled by Mr. David Krutko on February 4, 2011. Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a response to a petition provided by the Honourable Sandy Lee, Minister of Health and Social Services, in response to a petition tabled by Mr. Bromley on February 10, 2011. Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a response to a petition provided by the Honourable Sandy Lee, Minister of Health and Social Services, in response to a petition tabled by Mr. David Krutko on February 22, 2011. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

TABLED DOCUMENT 20-16(6):LETTER TO MAYOR GORDON VAN TIGHEM

CONCERNING GNWT PARTICIPATIONON THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE

SOCIAL ISSUES COMMITTEEMR. ABERNETHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to table a copy of a letter to His Worship Mayor Gord Van Tighem, signed by the deputy ministers of the Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of Justice concerning GNWT participating on the City of Yellowknife’s Yellowknife Social Issues Committee. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Item 15, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Notices of Motion

MOTION 4-16(6):REVOCATION OF APPOINTMENT

TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCILMS. BISARO: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, May 13, 2011, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that this Assembly formally revokes the appointment of the Honourable Sandy Lee as a Member of the Executive Council. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. The honourable Minister for Human Resources, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

BILL 11:AN ACT TO AMEND THEPUBLIC SERVICE ACT

HON. BOB MCLEOD: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, May 13, 2011, I will move that Bill

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11, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 7-16(6), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 6, 2010-2011; Tabled Document 8-16(6), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012; and Tabled Document 9-16(6), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012, with Mr. Bromley in the chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Wholeof Bills and Other Matters

MR. BROMLEY: I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. We have before us, committee, three tabled documents: Tabled Documents 7-16(6), 8-16(6) and 9-16(6). What is the wish of committee? Mrs. Groenewegen. MRS. GROENEWEGEN: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee would like to deal with the three supplementary appropriation bills that were tabled by the Minister of Finance today. Thank you. MR. BROMLEY: Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The proposal is to deal with the three tabled documents. Does committee agree? SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. MR. BROMLEY: Thank you, committee. We will do that. First we’ll take a break. ---SHORT RECESSCHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Good afternoon. I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. Before we commence, I’d like to recognize a visitor in the gallery, our Member of Parliament for the Western Arctic, Mr. Dennis Bevington, has joined us for the afternoon.---ApplauseWelcome to the gallery. Before we went on break, committee, we agreed to do Tabled Documents 7-16(6), 8-16(6) and 9-16(6). Is committee agreed that we proceed with Tabled Document 7-16(6), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 6, 2010-2011? SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Okay. I will now ask the Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, the Honourable Michael Miltenberger, if he would like to make some opening comments on Tabled Document 7-16(6).HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m here to present Supplementary

Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 6, 2010-2011. This document outlines an increase of $300,000 for capital investment expenditures in the 2010-2011 fiscal year for the Department of Transportation completing a 500-foot runway extension at the Fort Good Hope Airport. The net fiscal financial impact is nil as the costs are fully offset by funding from the Fort Good Hope Dene/Metis Lands Limited. I’m prepared to review the details of the supplementary appropriation document. Thank you.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Minister Miltenberger, would you like to bring witnesses into the House? HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Yes, Mr. Chairman. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Is committee agreed? SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Sergeant-at-Arms, I’d like to get you to please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Thank you. Minister Miltenberger, can I please get you to introduce your witnesses for the record. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Margaret Melhorn, deputy minister of Finance; Sandy Kalgutkar, deputy secretary to the Financial Management Board. Thank you. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. I’ll now open the floor to general comments on Tabled Document 7-16(6), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 6, 2010-2011. Are there any general comments? I see no general comments. Does committee agree that we go to the detail of the tabled document? SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Alright. Detail begins on page 5. Can I get committee to please go to page 5? Is committee agreed? SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Okay. Tabled Document 7-16(6), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 6, 2010-11, Transportation, capital investment expenditures, airports, not previously authorized, $300,000. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Total department, not previously authorized, $300,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Is committee agreed that we’ve concluded review of Tabled Document 7-16(6). SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.

CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Mrs. Groenewegen.

COMMITTEE MOTION 1-16(6):CONCURRENCE OF TD 7-16(6), SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES

(INFRASTRUCTURE EXPENDITURES),NO. 6, 2010-2011,

CARRIEDMRS. GROENEWEGEN: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 7-16(6), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 6, 2010-2011, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 7-16(6) be reported as recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Motion is on the floor. Motion is being distributed. Thank you. The motion has been distributed. The motion is in order. To the motion. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Question.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Question has been called. ---CarriedIs committee agreed that we move along to Tabled Document 8-16(6), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012? SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): I’ll now go to Minister Miltenberger to see if there are any opening remarks on Tabled Document 8-16(6). Minister Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m here to present Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012. This document outlines an increase of $19.122 million for operation expenditures and an increase of $120.001 million for capital investment expenditures for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. The total supplementary request is $139.123 million. Major items in this supplementary estimates include: 1. $138.1 million for the carry-over of funding for

infrastructure projects. This funding was approved and lapsed in the 2010-11 fiscal period. The carry-overs for capital investment expenditures in the supplementary estimates represent about 26 percent of the 2010-11 revised capital budget. This percentage is lower than the previous two fiscal years, which averaged around 33 percent. Given the size of our capital budget in 2010-11, a record $527 million, I’m pleased to see the new capital planning process, including the fall

approval of capital estimates, is continuing to yield positive results.

2. $1.010 million for investments under the Energy Priorities Investment Plan to install wood pellet boilers at the Yellowknife Airport and Elizabeth Mackenzie School in Behchoko.

3. $850,000 for the Department of Transportation for the reconstruction of a section of Inuvik Airport taxiway. The net impact on government operations is nil as the reconstruction of the taxiway will be funded by the Department of National Defence.

I’m prepared to review the details on this supplementary appropriation document. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Minister Miltenberger, are the witnesses in the House currently the ones you wish to have in front of us? HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Yes, Mr. Chair. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Since we’re on a different tabled document, I’ll once again get you to introduce your witnesses for the record. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you. Deputy Minister Margaret Melhorn and Sandy Kalgutkar, deputy secretary to the Financial Management Board. Thank you. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. I’ll probably get you to do that one more time, but we’ll do it later. I’ll now open the floor to general comments. Are there any general comments on Tabled Document 8-16(6)? Okay. I don’t see or have any indication that there are any responses. Mr. Krutko.MR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to the Minister’s opening statement, I did raise this issue in committee in regard to the energy priority initiatives. The Yellowknife Airport, a garage was constructed. This is a new facility yet we’re spending some $660,000-odd to put in a wood pellet boiler. I’m wondering why it is that this was not part of the design and construction of that facility and why wasn’t that built in when we constructed this new facility. It is new. I think we spent quite a few million dollars on it. I’m just wondering why it is that we’re making this major expenditure after the fact on a brand new facility. I’d like to know, for the public record, why that wasn’t part of the expenditures when we constructed the new facility.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Kalgutkar.MR. KALGUTKAR: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The potential for a wood pellet boiler was part of the original design of the building. When the building neared completion, the original contractor that was

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supposed to design and install the boiler was no longer available, so they had to put in a propane system. Now that Public Works has developed some expertise into that type of facility, they are now proposing to install the boiler and will use the propane system as a backup.MR. KRUTKO: Again, there are a lot of other needy projects out there, especially in the communities where you have high operational costs in the isolated communities. I’m wondering when this government is going to make an effort to make these type of investments in the more high-cost communities and bring down the cost of living in our communities, than continue to make these kind of capital expenditures. Especially in the capital and for a brand new piece of infrastructure to be built and then to put this into the mix without even allowing other communities the same opportunity to consider those dollars to be spent in high-cost communities.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The initiative that is before us is one that is going to generate some significant savings. The payback is 4.7 years. The money that is saved will be put into a fund that will allow us to in fact, in addition to the money that may be voted by this Legislature, have a fund that will allow us to continue to do these type of retrofits that will see a number of benefits, a source of energy that’s cheaper, less greenhouse gasses, and funding reinvested to help look at similar type of retrofits across the North. We are moving across the North to deal with a whole host of alternative energy initiatives like this one. The intention and plan, I think we’re demonstrating that as we are moving across the North to try to put these type of initiatives into place.MR. KRUTKO: Maybe the Minister can tell us exactly when he is going to get around to the higher-cost communities. It’s great to say let’s do this all with the capital in the South Slave region. When are we going to see these capital investments in our high-cost, smaller, isolated communities?HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: We are looking at, for example, some of the smaller communities possibly in the Deh Cho or Nahendeh for a pilot project for use of biomass for heat; hopefully, if the technology evolves, for electricity. We are working with communities to see about the viability of doing local wood chipping or wood pellets so that we can support some type of biomass initiative. We’ve used solar in a whole host of different places. In Ulukhaktok we’re doing all sorts of energy retrofits. In Fort McPherson we’re doing work in the Chief Julius School, at the health centre, in residences. As an example, some of the

things that we are doing with this type of retrofit, trying to realize energy efficiencies and savings.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Krutko, anything further? Mr. Krutko.MR. KRUTKO: Just a clarification. I think we’re having some problems here identifying which document we’re operating off of. Maybe if we can just get clarification of exactly which document we’re talking about here. We have the Supplementary Operations Expenditures, No. 1. We have the Supplementary Infrastructure Expenditures, No. 1. I think either the covering page is wrong or misplaced. Could we get clarification of which document we’re dealing with?CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you. We are definitely doing Tabled Document 8-16(6), which is Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012. The problem is there was a copying error. So the content of Tabled Document 8-16 is actually within 9-16 and the content for 9-16 is actually in 8-16. We are definitely looking at infrastructure. So for the detail, look within your other document there. Just for the record, we’re still doing general comments on the opening comments. Mr. Krutko, did you have any further questions? Mr. Ramsay.MR. RAMSAY: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to make a few comments. It’s obviously quite alarming that we’re carrying over $138 million for infrastructure projects. Although the Minister states representing 26 percent of the 2010-2011 revised capital plan, that’s a lower percentage than in previous fiscal years, which averaged around 33 percent. More alarming for me is the amount of capital projects within the Department of Transportation that have been carried over. That’s around $72 million. I’d like to ask the Minister if there are historical numbers of percentage of carry-overs by department. I think having that many projects carried over is troubling. If you look through the detail, there’s every excuse under the sun why some of these projects haven’t been concluded. In the backdrop to everything is a bridge that we’re trying to get constructed across the Mackenzie River. Has that project taken away the department’s staff and attention to getting some of these other capital projects concluded? I think that’s a legitimate concern and a legitimate question that I’d like to have answered.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will refer that question to Minister Michael McLeod.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Minister Michael McLeod.

HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Our capital budget for last year was at an historic high of $292 million. We are planning to carry or requesting to carry $72 million of that amount over. We successfully delivered $220 million worth of projects last year. Of the $72 million which is a carry-over, $25 million of it is for the Deh Cho Bridge. So that would actually, if you removed that portion it, would be around $46 million that we’re carrying over. There is no connection between the Deh Cho Bridge and the amount DOT is carrying over. The Deh Cho Bridge has consumed time due to the audits that we’ve had with the Auditor General and the Levelton Report, but it’s been restricted to a number of staff. All projects had adequate sufficient management as required. We do not include anywhere in our details that any project has been delayed as a result of the Deh Cho Bridge Project.MR. RAMSAY: I know and I appreciate all the work that the department’s done on moving along the capital plan, especially over the last two years when we’ve had funding from the federal government come in which has enabled us to get a number of infrastructure projects, especially in the area of Transportation, off the ground. I know it has been a big number. Again, reading through the information that was given to committee, there are a lot of reasons why all these projects weren’t concluded. I just wanted to make sure, and I had to ask the question that I asked, that these projects are getting done and it’s not because of the department’s preoccupation with anything else. There’s going to be every effort to get these projects concluded. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. I didn’t really hear a question, more of a comment, so I’ll go to the next person on my list. Mr. Bromley.MR. BROMLEY: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I did want to say that I recognize this is a substantial carry-over, but I recognize also that I think we had a very substantial amount, I think over half a billion dollars, of infrastructure last year that we were taking on and the actual proportion moving forward is relatively modest. Nevertheless, because it’s such a large amount, it is a lot of work that hasn’t got done. Just homing in on one specific here, I’d like to focus on the Dettah access road reconstruction. I’m happy to see that we’ve been able to carry over and carry forward the dollars for this project. It seems that we’ve actually carried forward almost all of them and not spent any. I’m wondering what’s happening. Are there barriers to getting the work done? I know we had opportunities for some good cooperative partnerships there. Maybe I could just

get a status report on the Dettah Road Access Reconstruction Project.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Just a reminder that we’re on general comments to the opening remarks, but I will allow the question, which seems a bit more like a detail question. Mr. Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll, with your indulgence, refer that question to Minister Michael McLeod.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Minister Michael McLeod.HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: Mr. Chairman, the Member is correct that the bulk of the dollars earmarked for investment along the Dettah access road has been carried over. We’ve been working with the development corporation out of the community, which is the economic arm of the Yellowknives Dene First Nations. I think we’ve developed a very good working relationship. They’ve done some very good quality work for us. They’re still relatively new at this type of work.Some of the work that had been done and needed as a guideline and work that would allow us to move forward wasn’t quite done on time. The quarry work that was completed took a little bit longer than expected. The road design work also has been completed. The negotiation process was also slow and didn’t progress as fast as we thought it would. All these have taken more time, which has required us to carry the money forward. We are in a position now to award a construction contract. The company is ready to start doing the work this coming year. We expect things will move forward a lot smoother this year as we move into actual construction, and we expect all the work will be done by August of this year. The carry-over is required to continue this process that we engaged in in the past fiscal year.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Krutko.MR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. A lot of these dollars are tied to the federal stimulus funding. There was a deadline date that was set and I know it was carried forward. Realistically, can we conclude these projects within the timelines that we’re looking at, and more importantly, with the capital investment, then, from the carry-overs from previous years? Can we realistically accomplish all the work that needs to be done and that we don’t find ourselves having to either to pay back these dollars or lose these dollars because of the timeline that’s been put forward in regard to having these projects completed by I believe it’s this fall? Thank you.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister Miltenberger.

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HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There have been extensions given and we’re confident that as a government that we’ll be able to put all these funds to use in the timelines allotted. Thank you. MR. KRUTKO: Mr. Chair, I don’t know if it’s in here but one of the areas we did receive a lot of money which is also for municipalities, and I know that some of our municipalities are still struggling with trying to get their stimulus dollars funded. I’m wondering if that’s anything that’s part of these capital expenditures. I’d like to know what happens in those scenarios. Are we going to also have to live up to those obligations if they don’t meet the timelines? Thank you. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: I’ll refer that question to Minister Michael McLeod. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Minister Michael McLeod. HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: Mr. Chairman, we did have some discussions with the federal government with the former Minister of Infrastructure, Mr. Chuck Strahl, and identified I think it’s five projects that we expected we’d have challenges in getting completed. Most of these projects were substantially completed. We needed to have a little more time and we did submit a list to the Minister and received approval for all five. I believe there were two projects that were under the management of the Department of Transportation and three under municipal arrangements. I could provide a list to the Member, if he so requires, as to some of the specific details, but all projects that were outstanding had received approvals. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. Krutko. MR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I do look forward to that information. Again, I think that we have to be realistic here that we are operating under a tight timeline and we do have to ensure that we are able to accomplish the work that has to be done, and more importantly, realistically, a lot of cases, because of weather conditions or basically the rain and the weather does hinder a lot of our timelines, and again, regardless if it’s the Deh Cho Bridge or any other project, we do have to be aware that we do operate in an environment that is not friendly and I think that we have to be realistic on accomplishing some of these projects, especially the ones where we have federal commitments that we have to also fulfil. I’d just like to get some assurances from the Minister that we are able to do everything we can to implement these projects, but also ensure that we don’t find ourselves having to give back dollars because we didn’t complete these projects in the timelines that we agreed to. Thank you.

CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister Miltenberger. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As we have indicated, and I will reiterate for the Member as per his request, we are confident that we will meet the deadlines and get the work on the ground and make sure that this infrastructure is delivered as laid out. Thank you. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. I have nobody else on my list. Is committee agreed that there are no further general comments to the opening remarks? Mr. Yakeleya. MR. YAKELEYA: Mr. Chair, I just wanted to ask the Minister, because of the huge amount of carry-over that we are faced with, do we have the support mechanisms in place? As the Minister says, he’s confident that these projects will be completed in our communities. As you know, some of these projects in our communities are our economic lifelines to training and jobs and creating employment in some of our smaller communities that we represent. We’re doing pretty good, but some of these projects have been on the books and not yet been initiated to the way we think they should be initiated in our communities, and people are looking forward to them. With the policies that we have and the structures and the support we have because of the other areas that we want to concentrate on, the bigger projects, I want to know that we have the mechanisms to feel confident with what the Minister is saying, that these projects would get off the ground and get started in our communities, especially for the small communities that don’t have the all-season weather roads to go and it’s okay. For some of the smaller ones we have the barge, or the sealift, or flying in with the aircrafts, and that adds cost to the project. I want to ask the Minister, as the government as a whole, this huge carry-over, that we can feel confident going back to our regions and say these projects will get done, these projects will be completed and that we won’t have much of a carry-over next year. I understand that there was a lot of work being done, and for me this number is quite huge in terms of carry-over. It may not be for the government, but for me in my communities it certainly helps us in our economic stimulus activity in our communities. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Miltenberger. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to reassure the Member and point out that we had a $527 million capital plan for last year. We delivered 74 percent of that, almost $400 million. What we’re carrying over is now a shade under $140 million. So I can speak with some considerable certainty that we will get those

capital projects on the ground, considering that last year we delivered nearly $400 million worth of capital projects across the North. Delivering this remaining $140 million, roughly, will be done. The infrastructure is there. The supports are there. The mechanisms are there. The processes are there. Thank you. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Any further questions? Any further comments? Does committee agree that there are no further general comments? SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Given that there are no further general comments, is committee agreed that we proceed to the detail of this tabled document?SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Okay. We’re on Tabled Document 8-16-(6). The detail begins on page 5. Can I get committee to turn to page 5, please. We’re on page 5 of the 2011 Supplementary Appropriation, No. 1, infrastructure expenditures, Municipal and Community Affairs, operations expenditures, community operations, not previously authorized, $15.708 million. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Regional operations, not previously authorized, $3.023 million. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Total department, not previously authorized, $18.731 million.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Moving along to page 6, Education, Culture and Employment, operations expenditures, education and culture, not previously authorized. Mr. Beaulieu. MR. BEAULIEU: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m just looking for a little clarification on this page in relation to the career and technology studies. I’m wondering if that’s an increase. I’m still not 100 percent clear on these if they’re carry-overs, increases or whatnot. Did the budget go from 6 to 90 or is it from 850 to 1,241? CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister Miltenberger. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s a carry-over. Thank you. MR. BROMLEY: Is the budget for this particular item $1.2 million or $991,000? CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you. Mr. Kalgutkar.

MR. KALGUTKAR: Thank you, Mr. Chair. The revised budget in ‘10-11 for these projects was $768,000; the amount that were being carried over is $319,000. There were four CTS projects that were approved in ‘10-11. The carry-over is required to allow these projects to be completed during the ‘11-12 fiscal year. Thank you. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Kalgutkar. We’re on page number 6, Education, Culture and Employment, operations expenditures, education and culture, not previously authorized, $391,000. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Total department, not previously authorized, $391,000. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. We’ll move along to page number 7, Legislative Assembly, capital investment expenditures, Office of the Clerk, not previously authorized, $230,000. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Total department, not previously authorized, $230,000. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Let’s move along to page 8, Finance, capital investment expenditures, office of the chief information officer, not previously authorized, $283,000. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Total department, not previously authorized, $283,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Committee, let’s move along to page 9, Public Works and Services, capital investment expenditures, asset management. Mr. Krutko.MR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regards to the office records centre warehouse in Inuvik, $489,000. I thought the facility was almost completed, so I would like to know what type of work do you have to do for almost $5 million. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Kalgutkar. MR. KALGUTKAR: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, the revised ‘10-11 budget for that project was $14.2 million. We’re carrying over about $4.8 million. There is a contract in place and it is anticipated that the work will be completed during the summer of 2011. Thank you. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Kalgutkar. Mr. Krutko.MR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Do you have any idea exactly when we will see the grand

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opening of the facility? Is it going to be September 31st, just before the election? CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don’t have a set date for the official opening, but when we do get one, I’d be happy to share that information with the Member. Thank you. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Mr. Krutko, any further questions? Mr. Krutko.MR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Chair. My other question is in regard to the YK Airport, the wood pellet boiler, $660,000. Just going ahead in regard to the following page, I noticed there’s one point something million for the same facility. So I’d just like to know, it’s on page 13, the combined services building, $1.026 million. I’m just wondering, is that the same capital expenditure and how close are we, again, to completing the construction of that combined services building at the airport? CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister Miltenberger. Mr. Kalgutkar.MR. KALGUTKAR: Thank you, Mr. Chair. It’s my understanding that the YK combined services building is substantially complete and will be ready for occupation during the ‘11-12 fiscal year. Thank you. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Kalgutkar. Any further questions, Mr. Krutko? MR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, the question I had is this is a brand new facility and again we are making an investment for the wood pellet boiler again for 600-and-some thousand, but being a brand new facility you’d think this would have been built into the design and construction of the facility, and not to have to come forward with a supp in which the capital expenditure was already made. I don’t know why you couldn’t find the money within to do that, than have to come forward for a supp. Thank you. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister Miltenberger. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll refer that question to Minister Michael McLeod. Thank you. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Minister Michael McLeod.HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: Mr. Chairman, there are two questions I think being posed here. First of all on the dollars identified here for a little over $1 million as to what it would be for, the building and the site works are substantially complete for this facility. We anticipate we’re going to have an official opening sometime before the end of the summer and more than likely it would be sometime in August. However, there are some deficiencies that

cause this to have a carry-over and there’s still other associated work that needs to be addressed.This carry-over is required to meet our commitment and rectify some of the work that was done. This project is virtually complete and these dollars earmarked here are for the final work that is required. The pellet boiler is a project that is managed under Public Works and it did not come forward as part of the building design. It was not part of something that was addressed at the time of drafting. It was recognized as discussions moved forward. However, it was felt if the budget was going to be pulled back, if the redesign was going to happen, it would have delayed the project by at least a year and it was decided that the project would move forward with the agreement that an alternate energy source would be included at a later date and that’s what’s happening here. The $600,000 is being brought forward as a supp to put pellet boilers to offset some of the costs. We expect a five-year recovery for the investment that’s being made and we think it’s a good deal. We would have had to put in the propane system regardless, to have a backup, and these dollars could have been and should have been, as the Member indicates, part of the initial construction. However, it was brought in too late to meet the deadline. So we think it’s a good investment. We’ll recover the cost over a five-year period and we’d like to move forward on it. Thank you. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister McLeod. Next on my list, Mr. Bromley. MR. BROMLEY: Thanks, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to say that I think that’s a sound investment following up on this item. A five-year payback sounds very reasonable to me and that’s not even mentioning the gains in greenhouse gas reductions. I’m wondering if the Minister would know what the payback period is for the Elizabeth Mackenzie School wood pellet boiler. Thank you. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister Miltenberger. HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll ask Minister Michael McLeod to respond to that. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Minister Michael McLeod. HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: Mr. Chairman, this facility is a little different and the discussions with my staff indicate that the payback would be a little bit longer. We anticipate it will be around seven years to have this payback. We think it’s still a good investment and worthy of moving forward with. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister McLeod. Okay, we’re on page 9, Public Works and Services, capital investment expenditures, asset

management, not previously authorized, $9.199 million. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Technology Service Centre, not previously authorized, $170,000. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Petroleum products, not previously authorized, $1.345 million. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Total department, not previously authorized, $10.714 million.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Moving along to page 10, Health and Social Services, capital investment expenditures, health services programs, not previously authorized, $12.187 million.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Community health programs, not previously authorized, $908,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Total department, not previously authorized, $13.095 million. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Moving along to page 11, Justice, capital investment expenditures, court services, not previously authorized, $430,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Community justice and corrections, not previously authorized, $90,000. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Services to public, not previously authorized, $358,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Total department, not previously authorized, $878,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Let’s move along to page number 12, Education, Culture and Employment, education and culture, not previously authorized, $19.005 million. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Advanced education, not previously authorized, $865,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.

CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Total department, not previously authorized, $19.87 million.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Let’s move along to page 13. This is Department of Transportation, capital investment expenditures, airports, not previously authorized. Mr. Krutko.MR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again the combined services building, I noted the Minister said it was going to be completed and opened here shortly. Why are we carrying $1.026 million? What is that expenditure for? A million dollars?CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll ask Minister Michael McLeod if he can provide that detail.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Minister Michael McLeod.HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think I just answered that in my last response. I’ll respond again. The combined services building is substantially complete. We anticipate we’re going to have an official opening by sometime maybe in August. These dollars are to address some of the ongoing work and to rectify some of the deficiencies. The carry-over is required to meet our commitment. It’s not new money, it’s not additional money, it’s dollars that were identified that were not expended in last year’s budget. This is separate dollars not earmarked for the alternate energy system, it’s to complete the actual facility.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Any further questions? Mr. Krutko.MR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If we can get a breakdown of exactly what that $1 million is. It’s not really clear. It’s a million dollar item but it seems like sure it’s to finish the building, but what has to be concluded? Is it interior work? Is it plumbing? Is it electrical? Is it paving the driveway? What is the million dollars expended for?CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We don’t have that detail with us today, but if it would assist the Member, we can provide that to him subsequent to what we conclude here.MR. KRUTKO: In regard to the situation we see in Norman Wells, I see there’s $473,000 in regard to conversion to alternative energy sources in Norman Wells. Is that to convert to diesel heat, or can you verify what exactly that is for? Is that for a backup generator at the airport? The $473,000, Norman Wells.

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CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Kalgutkar.MR. KALGUTKAR: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just to summarize the project in general, the revised budget for the project in 2010-2011 was $484,000. About $11,000 was spent. So we’re carrying over, as the Member has stated, $473,000. The reasoning for that is Public Works requested a delay in the work in order to give full consideration of the decisions regarding the fuel type that are currently pending with the town of Norman Wells. This project will be turned over to Public Works sometime in the new fiscal year. MR. KRUTKO: In regard to the crisis situation that we find ourselves now in Norman Wells, is that decision going to be affected by the situation we find ourselves now with the closure of the Norman Wells pipeline and the possibility of cutting off gas completely to the community? Has this decision been made in the confines of that situation that we find ourselves today?CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will refer the question to Minister Michael McLeod.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Minister Michael McLeod.HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The decision to convert a number of our facilities in Norman Wells is part of the long-term plan to reduce some of the stress that is being placed on the community and the availability of natural gas. Our plan is to move away from natural gas to leave an adequate supply to the end of the four years that were committed to by Imperial Oil. Right now the decision is to convert to an alternate energy source. We’re trying to decide what is our best route. As I indicated in responding to questions to Mr. Yakeleya, there isn’t a formal decision on what would be the best type of fuel to use, whether it would be propane in the community, which would require a huge capital investment, or to go into fuel, diesel fuel. The community’s pondering that question. We’re involved in the discussion. We’re looking at what is the best way to go. That’s why this did not move forward. Public Works wanted to get a better handle on what is the fuel type that we need to use, or alternate energy, or both. That’s what we are deciding. We’ll have that decision made and convert this facility over before the end of the summer. MR. KRUTKO: I wasn’t really hearing the Minister’s response in regard to you mentioned diesel fuel, gas, but have you looked at alternative energy sources? We’ve just had a discussion about wood pellet heat systems. Have we looked at the

possibility of biomass as the potential possibility of an energy source that you can look at?CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: The request was made to defer this project for a little longer by Public Works. Now that Public Works has assumed responsibility for maintenance of these facilities and we’re also working hard to promote alternate energy, this project will now be turned over fairly soon to Public Works for management, and alternate energy would be something for consideration.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. McLeod. We’re on page 13, Transportation, airports, not previously authorized, $7.663 million.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Highways, not previously authorized, $63.973 million. Mr. Krutko.MR. KRUTKO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to various bridge program, territorial, it’s $1.365 million. Could you give me a breakdown of exactly where these bridges are going to go and where they are going to be expended?CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Kalgutkar.MR. KALGUTKAR: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again, just to summarize the project again, the revised budget for 2010-2011 was $1.7 million. We spent $340,000 on it. As the Member stated, we’re carrying over $1.365 million. The carry-over is related to the Shale Creek Bridge Rehab Project, which is a work in progress for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. The contractor was late in starting the work and could not complete all the work before the winter. The remaining bridgework and earthworks will be completed in April-May of 2011. The guardrail and erosion and sediment control systems will be in place during the summer.MR. KRUTKO: I’m just wondering where Shale Creek is.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you. I’ll have to refer that question to Minister Michael McLeod, who has intimate detail of the location of every one of these bridges.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. To Minister McLeod for the intimate details.

HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Shale Creek is located in Nahendeh outside of Fort Simpson. The contract is being done by a combination of companies under Fort Simpson Dene Council. The contract company is called Ti K’endeh and I believe it’s a Wrigley and Fort Simpson partnership arrangement. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. Krutko.MR. KRUTKO: As we heard earlier today from the Member for Nahendeh with regard to the closure of Highway No. 7, is this part of anything close to where the washout took place or where the road is closed because of the lack of bridges or bridgework in Highway No. 7?HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: This is a project that was initiated to move away from a culvert type of arrangement to a box bridge type facility. This would provide us with longer term reliability and better drainage as a result.MR. KRUTKO: I notice at the bottom of the page you do have $3.8 million for bridges, culverts, structural rehabilitation. I’m just wondering, in light of the situation on Highway No. 7, is there a possibility that any of these dollars can be re-profiled to deal with that crisis we find on Highway No. 7 today? HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: The investment for Highway No. 7 is in place. It’s been approved in our capital. We have roughly $6 million, or around $5.5 million, earmarked for Highway No. 7. Highway No. 7 has some serious challenges as the type of construction that was utilized by the federal government back when it was constructed and because of the place it is in its lifecycle, it does require significant investment. We have identified five areas that have really become deteriorated. We have assigned engineers and we have assigned staff and have contract crews focused on this area of work. In all reality, the road has to be reconstructed. It needed a new design that has been undertaken. It needs proper drainage. When the road was constructed there was very little that was done in terms of proper drainage, aside from building ditches. It’s becoming very apparent that it needs investment. The road to completely get under construction would probably cost about $200 million. Right now we are addressing portions of it and it will require continual investment for the long term. We are challenged, of course, as we commit to reconstruction of portions while other areas are failing. So it’s really becoming difficult to keep up with it and the next government is going to have to really look at addressing this in a serious way.MR. KRUTKO: Again, I have to note that Highway No. 1, there were a bunch of upgrades and that

taking place. That’s part of the carry-overs. I’m just wondering if there are any penalties associated with the contractors to conclude the contracts within a particular contract season, because it seems like a lot of these carry-overs are very large sums by way of the numbers of them. What contractual obligations do contractors have to conclude contracts within specific time frames in those contracts and are we sticking to them?HON. MICHAEL MCLEOD: Yes, we do have contracts that state time frames and penalties. However, we do allow for consideration if there are unforeseen circumstances. A lot these companies are local companies. A lot of them are Aboriginal companies. A lot of them are development corporations. The dollar amount that Mr. Krutko has identified is a number of highways that have been packaged up. There is work here that is part of Highway No. 7. Most of these contracts were deferred for some reason or other, usually at no fault of the contractor.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Next on my list is Ms. Bisaro.MS. BISARO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to ask a question under highways. The very last one on page 13 refers to the Deh Cho Bridge. It’s a rather large amount of money: $25 million, almost $26 million, $25.88 million. I would like to ask why this amount of money is here. It was my understanding that we had approved the funding for the bridge and this seems like we’re asking for more money all over again. So if I could get an explanation.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Kalgutkar.MR. KALGUTKAR: Thank you, Mr. Chair. As Members recall, back in March of last year we appropriated the full amount of the bridge project into our books, the full $165 million. So that became a GNWT project. So this amount is just a carry-over of that amount of the work that needs to be completed during the 2011-12 fiscal year.MS. BISARO: Thanks very much for the explanation. That’s all I have.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. We are on page 13, highways, not previously authorized, $63.973 million.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Let’s move along to page 14, Transportation continued, capital investment expenditures, marine, not previously authorized, $330,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Road licensing and safety, not previously authorized, $913,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.

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CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Total department, not previously authorized, $72.879 million.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Let’s move along to page 15, Industry, Tourism and Investment, capital investment expenditures, tourism and parks, not previously authorized, $890,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Total department, not previously authorized, $890,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Agreed. Shall we move along to page 16, Environment and Natural Resources, capital investment expenditures, corporate management, not previously authorized, $239,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Forest management, not previously authorized, $277,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Wildlife, not previously authorized, $646,000.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Total department, not previously authorized, $1.162 million. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Is committee agreed that we’ve concluded Tabled Document 8-16(6)?SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Mrs. Groenewegen.

COMMITTEE MOTION 2-16(6):CONCURRENCE OF TD 8-16(6), SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES

(INFRASTRUCTURE EXPENDITURES),NO. 1, 2011-2012,

CARRIEDMRS. GROENEWEGEN: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 8-16(6), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012, will now be concluded and that Tabled Document 8-16(6) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. A motion is on the floor and a motion is being distributed. I got it right the second time. The motion is in order. To the motion.SOME HON. MEMBERS: Question.

CHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): Question is being called.---CarriedMrs. Groenewegen.MRS. GROENEWEGEN: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that we report progress.---CarriedCHAIRMAN (Mr. Abernethy): I will now rise and report progress. I’d like to ask the Sergeant-at-Arms if I could please get you to escort the witnesses out of the Chamber. Thank you for being here today.

Report of Committee of the Whole

MR. SPEAKER: Can I have report of Committee of the Whole, please, Mr. Abernethy. MR. ABERNETHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 7-16(6), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 6, 2010-2011; Tabled Document 8-16(6), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012, and would like to report progress with two motions being adopted, that consideration of Tabled Documents 7 and 8 are concluded, that the House concurs in those estimates, and that appropriation bills to be based thereon be introduced without delay. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. A motion is on the floor. Do we have a seconder? The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.---CarriedItem 22, third reading of bills. Mr. Clerk, orders of the day.

Orders of the Day

CLERK OF THE HOUSE (Mr. Mercer): Orders of the day for Thursday, May 12, 2011, at 1:30 p.m.:1. Prayer2. Ministers’ Statements3. Members’ Statements4. Reports of Standing and Special Committees 5. Returns to Oral Questions6. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery7. Acknowledgements8. Oral Questions9. Written Questions10. Returns to Written Questions11. Replies to Opening Address

12. Petitions13. Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills14. Tabling of Documents15. Notices of Motion16. Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills17. Motions18. First Reading of Bills19. Second Reading of Bills20. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of

Bills and Other Matters- Tabled Document 9-16(6), Supplementary

Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012

21. Report of Committee of the Whole22. Third Reading of Bills23. Orders of the DayMR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until Thursday, May 12, 2011, at 1:30 p.m.---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 5:11 p.m.

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